Able to Teach has been compiled with help from experts in disability and in occupational health. It shows how good practice under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) can be joined up with good practice in assessing physical and mental fitness to teach, helping teacher training providers make fair decisions about whether candidates can meet the demands of teaching.

Four per cent of the 40,000 people expected to start teacher training during the current academic year declared themselves as disabled.

Angela Walsh, Co-Director of Teacher Training Strategy for the TTA, said:

“The teaching workforce should be representative of society as a whole, and will benefit from recruiting a higher proportion of people with disabilities.

“The challenge for the universities, colleges and schools offering teacher training is to check that every applicant, whether disabled or not, is fit to teach and at the same time to ensure that they do not discriminate against disabled people.

“Our guidance encourages them to question assumptions about what people can or cannot do and think creatively about the adjustments an individual might need to help them fulfil their potential. We are grateful to everyone who has helped to write it.“

Lisa Boardman of the Disability Rights Commission said:

“The DRC wants to see more disabled people entering teaching. By implementing this guidance both disabled people and training providers should have greater confidence that their admission procedures are being applied fairly and objectively, and that barriers to entry to the profession are being systematically removed.”

Notes for editors

This news release applies to England only.

Able to teach: Guidance for providers of initial teacher training on disability discrimination and fitness to teach is available on get into teaching link. Copies will be available from the TTA Publications Centre (tel: 0845 6060 323 or ttapublications@iforcegroup.com.)

The guidance has been written with the assistance of the Department for Education and Skills, training providers, occupational health experts and organisations representing disabled people.

The standards for qualified teacher status are in Qualifying to teach: Professional Standards for qualified teacher status (QTS) and requirements for initial teacher training (RTP), TTA, 2003.

Fitness requirements for teachers are in DfES Circular 4/99, Physical and mental fitness to teach of teachers and entrants to initial teacher training, May 1999.

The teacher training agency was established under the Education Act 1994. Its purpose is to contribute to raising standards in schools in England by attracting able and committed people in teacher training and improving the quality of teacher training and induction.

The Secretary of State announced on 29 March 2004 that he is extending the TTA’s remit to include training for school support staff, and continuing professional development for teachers.

Media enquiries

TTA Press Office Tel: 020 7023 8080/8081
Out of hours: 07771 934629
e-mail: pressoffice@teach-tta.gov.uk

Teaching enquiries

People interested in becoming a teacher should visit get into teaching link, or contact the Teaching Information Line (tel: 0845 6000 991 – 992 for Welsh speakers; Minicom 01245 454343).

General TTA enquiries

0870 496 0123