Gathering views on probationer teachers' readiness to teach

The broad aim of the project is to explore the views and perceptions of whether probationer teachers are ready to teach.


Data analysis

Literacy

The current priorities for the National Improvement Framework include improvement in attainment in literacy. Being literate is a life skill that supports personal, social and economic growth. Developing and using language allows children to develop and express their emotions, thinking, learning and sense of personal identity. Literacy is fundamental to all areas of learning and it is the responsibility of all teachers to support the development of literacy skills for all children and young people.

Probationer teachers were asked to rate their knowledge of literacy (table 4), and their level of confidence in their ability to teach and develop resources for literacy outcomes.

Table 4 – Response of probationer teachers with regard to their knowledge, their ability to teach and develop resources for literacy

Statement % of respondents
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree or disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
I am confident in my knowledge of literacy 20 56.3 65.9 37.5 5.9 2.1 7.4 4.2 0.7 0
I am confident in my ability to teach literacy 11.8 50 68.9 44.8 9.6 1 8.1 4.2 1.5 0
I am confident in developing resources to support pupil outcomes for literacy 9.6 38.5 62.2 46.9 9.6 5.2 16.3 8.3 2.2 1

Primary probationer teachers
Secondary probationer teachers

From table 4, it can be seen that

  • 85.9% of primary probationer teachers and 93.8% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their knowledge of literacy
  • 80.7% of primary probationer teachers and 94.8% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in the ability to teach literacy in their subject
  • 71.8% of primary probationer teachers and 85.4% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in the ability to develop resources to support pupil outcomes for literacy

Probationer teachers were offered an opportunity to comment futher on their preparedness for teaching literacy. On the quality of their ITE experience, one probationer teacher commented that "the optional module on Literacy across learning was a wonderful introduction to seriously considering literacy within RMPS". In contrast, others commented that they did not have such a good experience and found ITE too theoretical, expressing a preference for more practical experiences in teaching literacy.

Teaching reading was highlighted by a number of probationer teachers as an area in which they were less confident, for example: "As it is one of the main areas of the curriculum, I feel more focus should be given to this. Especially in the teaching of reading. I received very little training or education on early literacy and the mechanics of learning to read."

In discussing the readiness of probationer teachers to teach literacy outcomes, probationer supporters had mixed views. In general, they felt that as probationer teachers they were confident about the expectations of the Experiences and Outcomes (Es & Os) for literacy. They suggested that probationer teachers had a tendency to deliver Es &Os as whole class lessons rather than creating differentiated resources to meet the needs of all learners. They felt that this could be due to a lack of confidence and competence in the ability of probationer teachers to differentiate literacy outcomes to meet the individual needs of the children and young people. All focus groups commented that differentiation was a cause for concern, illustrated by a comment from one probationer supporters who said "their understanding of differentiation is really limited".

The ability to teach reading and phonics was also highlighted as an area of concern. Probationer supporters felt that the probationer teachers lacked the knowledge and skills to be able to support children's reading development effectively.

In secondary schools, the probationer supporters commented that they felt that although probationer teachers understand their commitment to including literacy as a responsibility for all, that secondary probationers were not confident. They noted that probationer teachers were adding literacy outcomes into their lesson plans but were treating them more as "a toe dip into the water" rather than an integral part of the learning process.

Local authority probationer managers held mixed views about the confidence of probationer teachers to deliver literacy outcomes. Some managers reported that, 'we're finding a lack of confidence' while others commented that they saw probationers as, 'very resourceful and reflective'. They noted issues in the level of preparedness to teach reading and phonics.

Numeracy

The current priorities for the National Improvement Framework include improvement in attainment in numeracy. Numeracy is not only a subset of mathematics; it is also a life skill which permeates and supports all areas of learning, allowing young people access to the wider curriculum. Being numerate helps children and young people to function responsibly in everyday life and also contribute effectively to society. Being numerate increases young people's opportunities within the world of work and forms foundations which can be built upon through lifelong learning. Like literacy, numeracy is the responsibility of all teachers.

Probationer teachers were asked to rate their knowledge of numeracy, (table 5), and their level of confidence in their ability to teach and develop resources for numeracy outcomes.

Table 5 – Response of probationer teachers with regard to their knowledge, their ability to teach and develop resources for numeracy

Statement % of respondents
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree or disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
I am confident in my knowledge of numeracy 25.8 32.3 58.6 46.2 7.8 16.1 7.0 3.2 0.7 2.2
I am confident in my ability to teach numeracy 17.2 33.3 60.1 44.1 10.2 12.9 9.4 7.5 3.1 2.2
I am confident in developing resources to support pupil outcomes for numeracy 18.8 22.6 52.3 43.0 15.6 20.4 12.5 10.8 0.8 3.2

Primary probationer teachers
Secondary probationer teachers

From table 5, it can be seen that

  • 84.4% of primary probationer teachers and 78.5% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their knowledge of numeracy
  • 77.3% of primary probationer teachers and 77.4% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in the ability to teach numeracy
  • 71.1% of primary probationer teachers and 65.6% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in the ability to develop resources to support pupil outcomes for numeracy

Probationer teachers were offered an opportunity to comment futher on their preparedness for teaching numeracy. In interpreting these comments, some probationer teachers commented very positively about the inputs during ITE and felt these had had a significant impact on their ability to teach numeracy outcomes.

"Lectures were consistently of a high quality and the tutorials were engaging, focused and practical. This was one area of the course [the university] excelled at"

In contrast, a few probationer teachers did not feel they had the same 'quality of experience', as other colleagues. One commented;

"During PGDE, no examples of lessons or how to teach maths, for example teaching mental or written mathematical strategies was taught"

Other probationer teachers felt that they were also 'learning on the job' and were finding it difficult to cater for all learning needs within their classroom. This was reflected in the comment from one probationer teacher who said:

"Don't feel at all confident in my teaching of mathematics. Struggling to teach to different differentiated groups and find time for all pupils. Finding it difficult to find the balance between active tasks and textbook."

From the focus group discussions, probationer supporters felt more positive about probationer teachers' ability to teach numeracy compared with literacy, although it was emphasised that it did depend on the prior personal experience of numeracy and mathematics of each probationer teacher. The shared perception across the focus groups was that there are more resources available to support pupils' learning in numeracy than for literacy.

The focus groups commented that active learning and differentiation are more evident in probationer teachers' practice in numeracy compared with the teaching of literacy.

Some local authority probationer managers felt that some probationer teachers are " very confident and very able and very tuned in". Conversely, some commented there was a lack of confidence in probationer teachers in their ability to deliver numeracy outcomes. They emphasised that their confidence level was generally dependent on the previous experiences of the individual probationer teacher. One probation manager said that they felt probationer teachers were " in general, not confident". It was suggested that this lack of confidence was possibly due to an issue with probationer teachers' own conceptual understanding of maths. Another probationer manager suggested that for some " their own conceptual understanding of maths would hold them back".

Health and Wellbeing ( HWB)

Health and wellbeing is a responsibility for all. Good health and wellbeing are fundamental to effective learning. Children and young people need to be supported to develop the knowledge and understanding, skills, capabilities and attributes which they need for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing now and in the future. Learning through health and wellbeing enables children and young people to make informed decisions, experience positive aspects of healthy living and make a successful transitions into adult life.

Probationer teachers were asked to rate their knowledge of HWB, (table 6) and their confidence in their ability to teach and develop resources for HWB outcomes.

Table 6 – Response of probationer teachers with regard to their knowledge, their ability to teach and develop resources for health and wellbeing

Statement % of respondents
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree or disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
I am confident in my knowledge of health and wellbeing 19.7 37.8 58.3 55.6 18.1 4.4 3.2 1.1 0.8 1.1
I am confident in my ability to teach health and wellbeing 15.0 38.9 59.1 46.7 19.7 8.9 4.7 3.3 1.6 2.2
I am confident in developing resources to support pupil outcomes for health and wellbeing 12.6 36.7 47.2 37.8 28.4 15.6 10.2 8.9 1.6 1.1

Primary probationer teachers
Secondary probationer teachers

From table 6, it can be seen that

  • 78.0% of primary probationer teachers and 93.4% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their knowledge of health and well-being
  • 74.1% of primary probationer teachers and 85.6% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in the ability to teach health and well-being
  • 59.8% of primary probationer teachers and 74.5% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in the ability to develop resources to support pupil outcomes for health and well-being

Probationer teachers were offered an opportunity to comment futher on their preparedness for contributing to HWB. From the comments, there were varying experiences of HWB in ITE from good experiences such as:

" A lot of awareness raised on teaching H&W [ HWB], CPD offered and good sessions during PGDE on how to deal with these issues in and out of the classroom. Feel very confident in this"

to a more limited experience;

"The focus on HWB training has very much been on physical health and PE, with limited input on aspects such as emotional and social wellbeing, sexual health and relationships."

It was also suggested by some that the experience during ITE was too theoretical and some probationer teachers would like more opportunity to observe practical examples.

"The session on HWB was heavily based around the theory. A follow up practical session on key areas to teach in class would have been beneficial."

Probationer supporters held a range of opinions about probationer teacher's engagement with HWB, from those who fully embrace HWB to those who are very unsure how to approach HWB to support pupils' learning. One probationer supporter said, of their probationer teacher, that she had "gone out of her way to try and take opportunities to, to become more aware". In comparison another probationer supporter quoted her probationer teachers who had said "I don't even know where to start".

Probationer supporters suggested that probationer teachers were better prepared to teach and contribute to some aspects of HWB, e.g. healthy eating, but required more support with pedagogies to contribute effectively to other aspects such as mental health. Comments from the probationer supporters suggested that there were some concerns around the importance placed on health and wellbeing during ITE. Some probationer supporters reported that their probationer teachers commented that HWB was "kind of an aside" during their ITE experience and was only really fully considered as part of an elective programme of study.

In the area of HWB, local authority probation managers commented that probationer teachers were largely confident in this responsibility for all, but this very much depended on the individual, their background and experiences. When expressing views about HWB in ITE, probationer managers felt that, compared with literacy and numeracy, health and wellbeing was not given as much prominence in ITE programmes.

Based on evidence from all of the data, all respondent groups spoke positively about the support for HWB through partnership working within and outwith the learning community. This was particularly the case with HWB content and some pedagogical approaches which helped probationer teachers to support the learning of all children and young people in this key area.

Equality

Educational equity is a measure of achievement, fairness, and opportunity in education. It is based on the two main elements of fairness and inclusion. These are closely related and are dependent on each other.

Across the Scottish education system the following key documents contribute to or legislate for a fair and equitable education for all.

The Standard for Full Registration the benchmark standard that all teachers are required to achieve prior to being fully registered by the General Teaching Council for Scotland, states that all teachers should;

"Have an understanding of current, relevant legislation and guidance such the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act (2000), Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, the Equality Act 2010 and GIRFEC."

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 states that Additional Support Needs;

"Refers to any child or young person who, for whatever reason, requires additional support for learning. Additional support needs can arise from any factor which causes a barrier to learning, whether that factor relates to social, emotional, cognitive, linguistic, disability, or family and care circumstances"

The Equality Act (Scotland) 2010 defines equality as everyone being treated fairly, regardless of their age, disability, gender, gender identity/reassignment, race, religion or sexual orientation.

Getting it Right for Every Child ( GIRFEC) is the Scottish Government's drive to improve outcomes for all children. The aim is that all children in Scotland are given every opportunity to develop to their full potential to become confident, responsible, and productive members of society.

The GIRFEC agenda underpins the four capacities within a Curriculum for Excellence. The four capacities aim to enable every child to become a:

  • successful learner
  • confident individual
  • responsible citizen
  • effective contributor.

This is summarised in the wellbeing wheel.

Wellbeing wheel

Source: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0043/00438640.jpg

With reference to the aforementioned documents, equality has been narrowed down to four reportable categories, which are:

  • additional support needs
  • race
  • gender
  • sexual orientation.

Probationer teachers

Probationer teachers were asked to rate their knowledge of equality (Table 7), and their confidence in their ability to effectively support equality and their ability to develop resources to support pupils explore equality with respect to ASN, race, gender and sexual orientation.

Table 7 – Response of probationer teachers with regard to their knowledge of equality to support pupils explore equality with respect to ASN, race, gender and sexual orientation.

Statement % of respondents
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree or disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
I am confident in my knowledge of the equality agenda in respect to additional support needs 26.8 35.7 56.1 51.2 13.0 8.3 3.3 2.4 0.8 2.4
I am confident in my knowledge of the equality agenda in respect to race 32.5 40.5 46.3 42.9 15.5 13.1 4.9 2.4 0.8 1.2
I am confident in my knowledge of the equality agenda in respect to gender 29.3 42.9 49.6 41.7 14.6 10.7 5.7 2.4 0.8 2.4
I am confident in my knowledge of the equality agenda in respect to sexual orientation 24.4 42.9 50.4 44.1 14.6 7.1 9.8 2.4 0.8 3.6

Primary probationer teachers
Secondary probationer teachers

From table 7, it can be seen that

  • 82.9% of primary probationer teachers and 86.9% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their knowledge of additional support needs
  • 78.8% of primary probationer teachers and 83.4% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their knowledge of race
  • 78.9% of primary probationer teachers and 84.6% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their knowledge of gender
  • 74.8% of primary probationer teachers and 87.0% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their knowledge of sexual orientation

Table 8 – Response of probationer teachers with regard to their confidence in their ability to effectively support equality with respect to ASN, race, gender and sexual orientation.

Statement % of respondents
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree or disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
I am confident in my ability to effectively support the equality agenda with respect to additional support needs 18.7 32.1 52.0 48.8 19.5 9.5 8.1 4.8 1.6 4.8
I am confident in my ability to effectively support the equality agenda with respect to race 18.7 41.7 56.1 35.7 18.7 17.9 5.7 2.4 0.8 2.4
I am confident in my ability to effectively support the equality agenda with respect to gender 21.1 42.9 53.7 38.1 17.1 14.3 7.3 3.4 0.8 2.4
I am confident in my ability to effectively support the equality agenda with respect to sexual orientation 17.9 42.9 49.6 39.3 21.1 11.9 9.8 2.4 1.6 3.6

Primary probationer teachers
Secondary probationer teachers

From table 8, it can be seen that

  • 70.7% of primary probationer teachers and 80.9% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their ability to support additional support needs
  • 74.8% of primary probationer teachers and 77.4% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their ability to support race
  • 74.8% of primary probationer teachers and 81.0% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their ability to support gender
  • 67.5% of primary probationer teachers and 82.2% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their ability to support sexual orientation

Table 9 – Response of probationer teachers with regard to their confidence in their ability to develop resources to support pupils explore equality with respect to ASN, race, gender and sexual orientation.

Statement % of respondents
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree or disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
I am confident in developing resources to support pupils explore the equality agenda in respect to additional support needs 9.8 21.4 48.0 38.1 25.2 20.2 13.8 15.5 3.3 4.8
I am confident in developing resources to support pupils explore the equality agenda in respect to race 4.1 26.2 42.3 34.6 28.5 22.6 21.1 13.1 4.1 3.6
I am confident in developing resources to support pupils explore the equality agenda in respect to gender 5.7 32.1 42.3 31.0 28.5 22.6 20.3 10.7 3.25 3.6
I am confident in developing resources to support pupils to explore the equality agenda in respect to sexual orientation 4.9 29.7 32.5 34.5 36.6 17.9 21.1 13.0 4.9 4.8

Primary probationer teachers
Secondary probationer teachers

From table 9, it can be seen that

  • 57.8% of primary probationer teachers and 59.5% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in developing resources for additional support needs
  • 46.4% of primary probationer teachers and 60.8% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in developing resources for race
  • 48.0% of primary probationer teachers and 63.1% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in developing resources for gender
  • 37.4% of primary probationer teachers and 64.2% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in developing resources for sexual orientation

From the data, both primary and secondary probationer teachers indicated that they were confident in their knowledge and ability to effectively support children develop an understanding of equality but felt less confident in developing resources to support equality.

With regard to their preparedness for contributing to equality, a few teachers respondened that they felt unprepared to contribute to equality in their classroom,

"Good understanding of aspects of agenda but very little opportunity to observe good practice coupled with lack of support staff makes it in increasingly difficult in a mainstream class with a range of needs."

Of those 29 probationer teachers who offered further comment, 11 mentioned ASN. Of these 11 probationer teachers one probationer teacher commented that there were " numerous, valuable workshops and lectures offered" to support probationer teachers to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in equality. In contrast another probationer teacher reported that the coverage of ASN during ITE " was very rushed". For other probationer teachers ASN was reported as the only aspect of equality that was covered. One probationer teacher commented,

"Support and training has been provided with regard to ASN. Although I am generally aware of the need and drive for equality in gender, race and sexual orientation I do not feel I have been made aware of how this should look in the classroom (other than through non-discrimination) and I am not aware of support in terms of delivering and resources this agenda."

Probationer supporters reported that that probationer teachers were "focus[ed] on getting to grips with the curriculum" which caused them to be "not as well prepared as we would like them to be" in address equality.

The focus on equality during ITE was also commented upon by probationer supporters, with some feeling that the lack of preparedness of the probationer teachers was because "there's not a big focus in teacher education in terms of like additional support needs and inclusion and how to work with children that have specific needs".

Another comment made about pedagogy in respect to equality, was that:

"They might be aware of the range of additional support needs that they'll face but not necessarily strategies and how to best meet those learners' needs. So I think practical strategies that they can actually employ in their teaching"

Probationer supporters felt that through the TIS placement, probationer teachers became more aware of the need to "teach across all sorts of different needs of learners" and some actively sought opportunities to engage in professional learning around inclusion by supporting individuals, working with small groups of pupils or creating differentiated resources. However, probationer supporters overall felt that equality, particularly inclusion, can leave the probationer teachers feeling "daunted" as "they are just not clear on what that's going to look like". It was discussed by focus groups that at the start of the TIS placement, for a large number of probationer teachers, the inclusion agenda was "definitely an issue". One probationer supporter stated that "if you're not committed to include them all in your class so it doesn't matter how much training [the probationer teachers get]" suggesting that the success of the probationer teacher is based significantly on the individual and their commitment to equality.

Local authority probationer managers felt that probationer teachers were confident in their ability to contribute to equality. There was some discussion around this confidence being misplaced. One example was cited by a probationer manager who commented " the confidence was there and she had the ability to do it, but actually faced with it, the knowledge of what to do and her skills to put into place there, she was struggling".

There was consensus across the focus groups that probationer teachers were more confident in some aspects e.g. adapting learning to minimise access issues for pupils with physical disabilities. It was also suggested that probationer teachers are also " becoming increasingly aware of sexual orientation and gender".

Data literacy

The current priorities for the National Improvement Framework include using data to build a sound understanding of the range of factors that contribute to a successful education system. Data literacy is a term used to describe how data can be used to ask questions around pupil needs, teachers' practice and school improvement. Being data literate means that teachers can use the rich data which is found in their classrooms and schools to support improvement in their own practice and to explore the best ways to meet the needs of their pupils.

Probationer teachers were asked to rate:

  • their knowledge of data literacy
  • their confidence in their skills to use data to track learners' progress (for example through assessment data, classroom activities and observations)
  • how confident they are in their skills to analyse and interpret data
  • their confidence in their skills to use data to make professional judgements about the effectiveness of their practice, (table 10)

Table 10 – Responses of probationer teachers with regard to data literacy

Statement % of respondents
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree or disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
I am confident in my knowledge of data literacy 13.1 24.4 46.7 50.0 18.0 19.2 18.9 6.4 3.3 0
I am confident in my skills to use data to track learners' progress (for example through assessment data, classroom activities and observations) 17.2 41.0 54.9 46.2 13.9 7.7 12.3 5.1 1.6 0
I am confident in my skills to analyse and interpret data 18.9 35.9 49.2 43.6 20.5 15.4 10.7 3.8 0.8 1.3
I am confident in my skills to use data to make professional judgements about the effectiveness of my practice 15.6 34.6 60.7 52.6 14.8 7.7 8.2 5.1 0.8 0

Primary probationer teachers
Secondary probationer teachers

From table 10, it can be seen that

  • 59.8% of primary probationer teachers and 74.4% of secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in their knowledge of data literacy
  • 72.1% of primary probationer teachers and 87.2% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in skills to use data to track learners' progress (for example through assessment data, classroom activities and observations)
  • 68.1% of primary probationer teachers and 79.5% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in skills to analyse and interpret data
  • 76.3% of primary probationer teachers and 87.2% or secondary probationer teachers strongly agree/agree that they are confident in skills to use data to make professional judgements about the effectiveness of my practice

Based on the evidence from the data with respect to data literacy, some probationer teachers have had very positive opportunities to engage in collaborative data analysis. One commented "The most beneficial of cluster sessions were those in which actual examples of pupils' work were examined, assessed and discussed." Another probationer teacher also agreed that "tracking meetings and professional dialogue about assessments and teacher judgments were useful."

In contrast, other probationer teachers experiences were not as positive with regard to supporting their level of understanding, opportunities to access support or professional learning on the use of data. One probationer teacher commented that:

" data is used to make decisions about pupil progress particularly in the senior phase. This is something that I was exposed to in my probation year but I never had a huge opportunity to expand upon [this]".

Other probationer teachers agreed with this view, as captured in the comment below:

"I still find interpreting data and using it effectively a challenge and look for reassurance when making my decisions. I don't remember being taught explicitly how to record or interpret data therefore I have learnt from my mentor and other staff as to how to manage this."

Probation supporters commented that probationer teachers "have a limited knowledge" about how to use data to inform professional judgement of pupils' progress. However, it was agreed by probationer supporters that during the TIS placement, most probationer teachers experience data literacy through in-school monitoring and tracking systems and becoming skilled at using these to inform pupil progress.

From the discussions of probationer supporters, some probationer teachers had a very positive experience during the TIS placement with respect to data literacy. This was often achieved by undertaking action research or enquiry, where they generate and interpret data to support their own practice.

In discussing the preparedness of probationer teachers to generate and use data to support professional judgment, local authority probation managers felt that probationer teachers " come in at different levels of skill" dependent on their previous experiences. All probationer teachers undertake enquiry during the TIS placement, and probation managers thought this was a good opportunity for probationer teachers to demonstrate their ability to manipulate and present data.

Summary

The data collected indicates that, the majority of probationer teachers feel that they are confident in their knowledge and ability to teach literacy, numeracy and contribute to HWB to support pupil outcomes. Equality appears to be more problematic than literacy, numeracy and HWB.

Table 11 - Summary of probationer teacher responses

  I am confident in my knowledge of (strongly agree/agree) (%) I am confident in my ability to teach (strongly agree/agree) (%) I am confident in developing resources to support pupil outcomes in (strongly agree/agree) (%)
Primary Secondary Primary Secondary Primary Secondary
Literacy 85.9 93.8 80.7 94.8 71.8 85.4
Numeracy 84.4 78.5 77.3 77.4 71.1 65.6
HWB 78.0 93.4 74.1 85.6 59.8 74.5
Equality
Additional support needs 82.9 86.9 70.7 80.9 57.8 59.5
Race 78.8 83.4 74.8 77.4 46.4 60.8
Gender 78.9 84.6 74.8 81.0 48.0 63.1
Sexual orientation 74.8 87.0 67.5 82.2 37.4 64.3

For each of the key areas of literacy, numeracy, health and wellbeing and equality, the probationer teachers reported that they are least confident in developing resources to support learning, table 11.

Data literacy is the area in which probationer teachers are least confident, table 10.

Post- TIS

Probationer teachers were asked to indicate their perceived future support needs around teaching literacy, numeracy, contributing to health and wellbeing and equality, and with using data to make professional judgments.

Table 12 – Responses of probationer teachers with regard to perceived future support needs around teaching literacy, numeracy, contributing to health and wellbeing and equality, and with using data to make professional judgments.

Statement % of respondents
Strongly agree/agree Neither agree or disagree Strongly disagree/disagree
I would like more support with teaching literacy 59.2 41.0 28.3 35.9 12.5 23.1
I would like more support with teaching numeracy 64.2 48.7 23.3 30.8 15.0 20.5
I would like more support with contributing to the health and well-being agenda 66.7 59.0 21.7 23.1 11.7 17.9
I would like more support with the equalities agenda 67.5 57.7 24.2 28.2 8.3 14.1
I would like more support with using data to make professional judgements 66.7 50.0 22.5 32.1 10.8 17.9

Primary probationer teachers
Secondary probationer teachers

As can be seen from graph 12, post- TIS teachers felt they could benefit more from support in all areas. More than two thirds of primary probationer teachers indicated they would like more support in numeracy (64.2%), HWB (66.7%), equality (67.5%) and data literacy (66.7%). More than half of secondary probationer teachers indicated they would like more support in HWB (59.0%) and equality (57.7%).

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