My own journey with NASBTT, from the outset, was grounded in my interest in ITT/ITE.
I had extensive experience of teacher training, initially in higher education based at John Moores University in Liverpool where I was responsible for the D&T (Secondary) programme. I became very interested in the development of school-based teacher training and moved to the West Midlands Consortium (WMC), a SCITT, based at Thomas Telford School (TTS) in Telford, Shropshire. TTS was one of six City Technology Schools which were established as ‘change-agents’, and their involvement with school-centred teacher training attracted me. I joined WMC in June 1999 and soon began to explore who else was involved as a School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) provider.
There were quite a number of SCITTs across the country at the time, and all were reinventing the wheel. It was suggested that we could form some form of community, initially to support each other. A small group of leaders including Janet Winder, Sue Collier, Martin Thompson, Jim Hudson and myself, all from different SCITTs, met at Two Mile Ash School in Milton Keynes to establish such a group and NASBTT was born in 2000. Jim, who was Headteacher of Two Mile Ash, became the first Chair of NASBTT which aimed to become the ‘voice of school-based teacher training’, and it is good to note that this aim still features prominently today.
School-based teacher training and employment-based routes were initially not well received by universities, and UCET. They were seen as a threat and not able to effectively train new entrants to the profession. NASBTT wanted to help establish high-quality teacher training across all SCITTs by supporting each other and sharing best practice. This was early days in terms of communication technology; email was a good and growing means of communication, and websites were in their infancy. Around 35/40 SCITTs joined NASBTT and the steering group would initially meet around three times a year.
Ralf Tabberer, Chief Executive of the Teacher Training Agency (TTA), became a great friend and supporter of NASBTT. Holding a conference was seen as a good opportunity to bring people together with an aim to consolidate the role of NASBTT and support the development of SCITTs. Ralf was invited to our first conference and we hoped that he might send a representative of the TTA to attend. Instead, he attended himself and gave the keynote address, supporting and urging us to grasp this opportunity to develop a new model for teacher training. This was an important success for NASBTT. There were also a number of breakout groups during the day to discuss key areas such as quality assurance, assessment, accreditation, external examiners, and others. It was held at the Bridewell Centre, just off Fleet Street in London, and an abiding memory of mine was that, by chance, it was ‘bin day’ and the noise of all the empty bottles being tipped from the large bins from the pub nearby being a distraction to our keynote speaker and attendees for that moment. The conference proved to be a catalyst and confidence grew within NASBTT.
We were a voice to be heard, and we took advantage of this whenever possible at conferences held by the TTA and Ofsted attended by both UCET and NASBTT members. We would try to be group leaders during breakout sessions and then report back to the full meeting in order to help raise our profile. Linda Rowe was our link person with the TTA and she also became an important supporter, and route into both the TTA and DfE. This strengthened our position and, over time, NASBTT developed a better relationship with UCET.
A second conference was held the following year. A former primary school in the West Midlands was the venue to try a break away from the London-centric nature of TTA and Ofsted conferences. Travelling was not as straightforward as had been anticipated. However, it was well attended and seen as being successful. Ralf travelled out from London to attend, giving his second keynote presentation, which further reinforced his support and recognising the importance of NASBTT in helping to drive forward high-quality school-based teacher training. Other NASBTT members led breakout sessions on topics requested prior to the conference.
Around this time Martin became our second Chair and he developed excellent links directly with DfE as well as the TTA. This was very significant for NASBTT, demonstrating our position in our role of supporting school-based teacher trainers. Martin would often be contacted by the DfE and even Ministers on occasions for views on key aspects. It became obvious that one conference a year would not satisfy our members needs as they rapidly progressed, and a series of regional groups were developed to allow for additional meetings where key local issues could be thoroughly discussed and ideas shared.
Unfortunately, it became increasingly difficult for me to find the time to continue in my role with NASBTT and I had to leave the steering group. Martin was clearly developing NASBTT in the fullest sense, and I have been very impressed with the support, guidance and materials that NASBTT now provides to its members. I am proud to have been part of the early days and wish NASBTT well on its 25th anniversary. I hope that it continues to be ‘voice of school-based teacher training’ for many years to come.
Alan Fowler was NASBTT’s first Treasurer.