Maximum Impact for Teach First

Last week independent researchers from the University of Manchester found that schools in challenging circumstances which employ Teach First teachers have seen a statistically significant improvement in their GCSE results. This is brilliant news, demonstrating that Teach First is having a real impact on the education of pupils from some of the poorest areas of the country.

Teach First is a national independent charity that works to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields. We target high calibre, motivated graduates who would not normally consider a career in teaching and work to place them in challenging schools while supporting them to become innovative, high-impact teachers. To date we have recruited 139 teachers from Edinburgh universities.

The need for Teach First is clear. Studies show that in the UK socio-economic status still determines whether young minds fulfil their potential. This year, research by the Sutton Trust suggested that just 16 per cent of pupils who are eligible for free school meals progress to university, compared with 96 per cent of young people educated in independent schools. Educational disadvantage is real and tangible in Britain today.

At Teach First we believe that with a dedicated and focused classroom leader all pupils can realise academic success. We are determined to make this a reality and this new research shows that we are moving in the right direction. The research showed that Teach First teachers are clearly raising the achievements, aspirations and access to opportunities of their pupils.

Ultimately Teach First aims to alter a system that allows children from challenging circumstances to be educationally marginalised. In the short term we place teachers in schools, but in the long term we encourage and support our alumni community, which currently stands at 1,100, to bring about systemic change in education. The Teach First experience has equipped a generation of young people with the understanding, skills and heartfelt desire to work to address educational disadvantage.

Part of the reason Teach First has been effective is due to our belief in collaborative working and learning from others. At the 2007 Clinton Global Initiative, Teach First and Teach For America (our US partner organisation) launched Teach For All, a network to support social entrepreneurs around the world who were inspired by the Teach First model and want to adapt it for use in their own countries. This has proven a great success, with programmes launching around the world in Chile, Germany and Lebanon to name just three.

But sometimes solutions can be found closer to home. We at Teach First understand that we do not have the monopoly on good ideas. Indeed, we believe that students can offer important perspectives on the big questions facing the education sector, that’s why we launched our student competition: What Would You Change? The competition asks students across the country what they would change about the British education systems. Submissions can be in any form – video, audio, image or text – and will be judged on their creativity, potential impact and potential for practical application.

So while delighted that research has highlighted the significant impact we are having on children’s lives we are as determined as ever to harness the enthusiasm and skills of our teachers both past and present to create a society where every child fulfils their potential, regardless of their parent’s bank account or postcode.