Overseas trained teachers in England: victims of change, vanguards of change

The brain drain debate has dominated academic and policy discussions over the last
decade. This article focuses on the contributions overseas-trained teachers make to
enriching, sustaining and advancing education in England. By looking at what caused the
need for overseas trained teachers in the first place, it will be possible to show how
England’s market for teachers was during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The author will
also show that teaching in some territories was placed at risk, and that overseas-trained
teachers who make up a significant proportion of teachers in England have brought with
them such skills, experiences, and competences that has been of significant benefit whilst
filling a gap. A possible conclusion is that overseas-trained teachers are more important to
England’s education than is believed and reported, and without whom teaching in England
would be at risk. The methods employed in this qualitative research are: Depth Interviewing,
Life Histories and Focus Groups. A summary of the Phase 1 evidence will be presented.