Tracing the development of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) since the large scale expansion of the teaching professional after the Second World War to the present day, this book explores the changing nature of teacher education.

Ian Abbott is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Education Studies at the University of Warwick. He was previously the Director of the Centre and prior to that led the University's Institute of Education. He has worked with in partnership with a number of external organisations, including Teach First and Teaching Leaders. He has collaborated with a number of schools and colleges on a range of research and staff development projects. He has extensive experience of initial teacher education and has worked on a range of programmes. He has written extensively on a range of education policy issues including a number of books on aspects of secondary teacher education.

Mike Rathbone was Director of Continuing Professional Development in the Institute of Education at the University of Warwick. He has wide-ranging experience of primary teacher training and has worked in a number of schools and higher education institutions. He has published widely on teacher education and continuing professional development, especially related to beginning teachers.

Philip Whitehead began his career in education teaching in a comprehensive school in London in 1972. Since then he has worked across most phases of education including secondary, further, higher and special education. He was the headteacher of a secondary school in Papua New Guinea for three years. On returning to the UK he took management roles in staff development and teacher training, before moving into development work in higher education. He has carried out research into learning journeys and ethnicity, leadership cultures, educational policy, and professional development. At present he is Assistant Professor in Educational Leadership and Management at the University of Nottingham.

Chapter One: Introduction; Chapter Two: The Early Days of Teacher Training; Chapter Three: The Consensus in Education Begins to Unravel; Chapter Four: Teacher Education as a Competitive Market; Chapter Five: Current Government Policy; Chapter Six: International Perspectives; Chapter Seven: Models of Provision - Higher Education; Chapter Eight: Models of Provision - School Based; Chapter Nine: Teach First; Chapter Ten: Conclusion