Research suggests that a defining characteristic of education systems judged to be ‘high-performing’ is their capacity to attract high quality entrants to the teaching profession (Barber & Mourshed 2007; OECD 2011).   Teacher recruitment policies in many countries, therefore, focus on attracting high quality individuals (Furlong 2005, Ball & Forzani 2009, OECD 2011).  However, research also suggests that in the UK and many other school systems (across Europe and the USA) urban schools serving socio-economically disadvantaged communities experience significant difficulty in attracting/retaining high-quality teachers (Darling-Hammond 2005; Ammermüller & Lauer 2009; Little 2010).  Teacher recruitment, therefore, is not just an issue of quality, but one of equity and social justice.

In many of these school systems, recruitment policy has focused on attracting high-quality graduates, often with an explicit focus on bringing 'elite' individuals into schools.  The most high-profile initiative is the now global Teach for America/Teach First model, which places fast-tracked graduates into schools serving socio-economically disadvantaged communities for a two-year 'internship'.  In other national systems (of which the UK is a notable example), marketing initiatives have concentrated on emphasising teaching as a career for ambitious individuals who have been successful in other careers, often through various fast-track programmes for ‘elite’ career-changers from other professions, and from private sector industry/business backgrounds.  

The rationale presented for this approach is that ‘elite’ career-changers’ skills/experience mean they will have a significant impact on overall teacher quality (Freedman 2008; Tigchelaar et al 2010). However, although some studies (Mayotte 2003; Haggard et al. 2006, Anthony & Ord 2008) have suggested mature entrants may bring ‘transferable capacities’ to teaching, there is no compelling evidence about the impact on teacher effectiveness either of alternative routes into teaching, or of career-changers entering into the profession.  This is in part because of the lack of quantitative data about career-changers entering teaching (in any national school system).

The picture is complicated by evidence that although entry quality is a factor in effectiveness of such initiatives, the quality of teacher education, whether an ‘alternative’ or a ‘traditional’ certificated route, is more significant. (e.g. Darling-Hammond 2009).This study provide national level data of the numbers of career-changers entering initial teacher education (ITE) in the UK and their outcomes  (retention/attainment).  It also examines UK career-changers’ perceptions of their experiences of ITE and of the early years of teaching, of 'established' career-changers with 5-10 years experience as teachers, and of school principals employing career-changers.  This study was funded by a Leverhulme Fellowship award, and data from the phase 1 of this study was presented at ECER 2013.

The study draws upon four key strands of literature 1) teacher induction and professional development, 2) teacher identity/values 3), leadership culture 4) performativity and school systems

A stable teacher identity comes through developing a sense of ‘self-efficacy’ (Day et al. 2007), but maintaining this is challenging in a profession characterised by increasingly overt external accountability constraints (Hargreaves 2000, Ball 2003, Apple 2005).  Sachs (2003), however, argues that performative policy and practice can be and is countered where strong collegial professional values maintain an inquiry-oriented approach in which teachers are active agents pursuing a ‘moral purpose’ (Sachs 2003).

An important aspect of this study is that of leadership and support cultures in schools.  A recurring theme in studies of teacher motivation and efficacy highlights to crucial role played by the culture of collaborative professionalism and effective leadership within the school (Hord 1997, Katzenmeyer & Moller 2009, Day & Gu 2010).  From this body of literature comes a growing consensus that effective school leadership must promote a whole-school ‘professional learning culture’ (Stoll & Louis 2007, Day & Gu 2010)

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