The number of people with disabilities training to become teachers has increased for the fifth year running and has doubled in six years according to new research released today. The figures come ahead of the Training and Development Agency for Schools’ (TDA) first campaign to recruit more people with disabilities into teaching.

Researchers at Durham University looked at application rates for those with disabilities into Initial Teacher Training (ITT) schemes and found that 1740 disabled teaching trainees joined in 2004/5 compared to 854 in 1998/9.

Encouragingly, the majority of people surveyed (68 per cent) said that they did not see their disability as a barrier to becoming a teacher when they first considered joining the profession, although there is some variation in the proportion of teachers with disabilities by subject area. Whilst art and design and design and technology have a higher than average proportion of teachers with disabilities, modern languages and English fare less well. 

Stuart Newton, head of lower sixth at the Anglo European School in Essex, has been a teacher for five years. He has Transverse Myelitis and has to teach from a wheelchair for most of the day.  He says: "My teacher training was quite challenging but my mentors and peers were very supportive and it proved to be a very productive and rewarding experience. The buzz that you get when one of your students really understands something for the first time, or is willing to voice their opinions and run with an idea is intoxicating. The ability to change students’ views of disabled people and the part they can play in society is also particularly worthwhile."

Further analysis also shows an increasing diversity in the types of people entering the profession. Outside of ‘unseen disabilities’, the greatest number of people entering teacher training are dyslexic followed by people with hearing or visual impairments.

TDA Chief Executive, Graham Holley, said: “People with disabilities are finding the teaching profession more accessible than ever before. Although our track record is pleasing, we’re keen to see a greater diversity of teaching staff and encourage people across the spectrum to consider teaching, in particular, people with a sensory or physical impairment.  We also have plans to review existing recruitment programmes to give people with a disability a greater insight into the profession before application.

“It’s absolutely vital that the make-up of teaching staff represents the full spread of society. This is why we’re urging people with disabilities to become teachers.  Challenge Grants are available to support teachers with disabilities and last year, the TDA paid out £1.25m to improve diversity in the classroom.”

Barbara Waters, chief executive of Skill, the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, added: “Teaching is more than ‘just a job’ for disabled people - it’s a way of changing attitudes and raising aspirations of other teachers, young people and their parents and carers. With a good salary and strong career prospects for high fliers, teaching offers a package that simply can’t be equalled.”

The TDA’s ‘Able to Teach’ campaign launches in July with promotional literature mailed to people who have enquired about teaching. Information is also available on the TDA’s website by visiting www.teach.gov.uk or by calling the teaching information line on 0845 6000 991.  The TDA will be rolling out ‘best practice’ advice on this issue to teacher training providers over the coming months.

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Media enquiries

Contact: John Coventry/Laura Fewell
Tel:  0207 815 3900
Mobile: 07984108027/07739 013 883
E-mail: john.coventry@munroforster.com / laura.fewell@munroforster.com

Interviews with teachers with disabilities can be arranged via Munro & Forster.

General TDA enquiries

Contact: Katie Robinson
Tel: 020 7023 8020
E-mail: kate.robinson@tda.gov.uk

Notes to editors

Background on Able to Teach

• The TDA, wherever possible, encourages teacher training providers to consider ‘reasonable adjustments’ in line with the TDA’s Able to teach guidance, which helps providers interpret the DCSF publication Fitness to teach.
• The provider assesses the needs of each individual applicant with the aim of determining whether reasonable adjustments can be made to increase the likelihood of applicants with disabilities being accepted into teaching.
• These adjustments are varied and particular to each case though may include providing support staff in the classroom, ICT equipment and part-time working.
• The guidance is available at www.tda.gov.uk/abletoteach
• The TDA funds the recruitment and retention challenge grant scheme which is available to all teacher training providers to support the recruitment and retention of under-represented groups, including black and minority ethnic, disabled people and male primary school trainee teachers.

Background on the TDA

• The TDA funds the recruitment and retention challenge grant scheme which is available to all teacher training providers to support the recruitment and retention of under-represented groups, including black and minority ethnic, disabled people and male primary school trainee teachers.
• The TDA, wherever possible, encourages teacher training providers to consider ‘reasonable adjustments’ in line with the TDA’s Able to teach guidance, which helps providers interpret the DCSF publication Fitness to teach.
• The provider assesses the needs of each individual applicant with the aim of determining whether reasonable adjustments can be made to increase the likelihood of applicants with disabilities being accepted into teaching.
• These adjustments are varied and particular to each case though may include providing support staff in the classroom, ICT equipment and part-time working.
• The guidance is available at www.teach.gov.uk 
• Personal advice is available from the Teaching Information Line on 0845 6000 991 – 992 for Welsh speakers (minicom 0117 9156645).