ABSTRACT
The Robbins Report reflected on the need to improve the quality of teachers and the desire to make teaching an all-graduate profession. This chapter discusses the report in detail and considers its implications for teacher training. It demonstrates that the period up to 1970 was notable for the consensus between the political parties with regard to education. The chapter shows how comprehensive reports into higher education and teacher training and a series of other government-sponsored reports and circulars made significant recommendations about education in schools and about teacher training. Teachers needed to understand the implications of research into education and aspects of sociology, social history and child development, particularly as related to adolescence. The circular accepted that there would be implications for school building programmes, but staffing ratios, staff training and initial teacher training were not seen as particular issues.
