Reports Part of series: Professional learning for teacher educators: BERA Small Grants Fund research reports
Co-created guidance for initial teacher education providers
To coincide with World Mental Health Day 2025, BERA is delighted to publish a new report, funded by BERA’s Small Grants fund, which seeks to understand how Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers can better support the wellbeing of student teachers in England.
Using focus groups, the researchers found that:
The report goes on to recommend that as well as embedding realism and transparency in recruitment and induction, ITE programmes should encourage healthy professional habits and open dialogue. The authors also stress the importance of facilitating peer support and professional networks.
Read the full report below.
This small-scale, qualitative study explored how initial teacher education (ITE) providers can better support the wellbeing of student teachers, a pressing concern in the context of global teacher recruitment and retention challenges. Drawing on co-created insights from 16 participants, including student teachers, early career teachers (ECTs) and mentors, six online focus groups were held to explore the lived experiences of those undergoing and supporting ITE in England. Participants discussed the support they received, what they wished they had known from the start of their ITE and what advice they would give the next cohort of student teachers.
Four themes emerged from our analysis: expectations versus reality, stressors and solutions, building relationships and flourishing, and looking after yourself and others. Findings highlight tension between student teachers’ expectations and the demands of the profession, including workload, financial pressures and the duality of being a student and a professional.
Strong relationships with peers, mentors and provider staff were consistently identified as supportive factors for wellbeing, along with realistic preparation for placements, peer networks and opportunities for open dialogue.
The study concludes that ITE providers already work hard to support their students, which is evident in the findings, and acknowledges the constraints faced by providers in England. Our findings suggest that strategies such as embedding transparency, promoting peer support and creating safe, reflective spaces for student teachers to share their experiences may bolster
student teacher wellbeing.
Head of School - School of Education at Leeds Trinity University
Aimee is Head of the School of Education at Leeds Trinity University, a member of BERA Council, one of the BERA SIG leads for Mental Health and Wellbeing, and a member of the BERA Conference and Events Committee. Her research interests are...
Rosalind Hollis Professor of Education for Social Justice at University of Hull
Jonathan Glazzard is the Rosalind Hollis Professor of Education for Social Justice at the University of Hull. He researches LGBTQ+, mental health, disability and early literacy. In 2018, he became co-convenor of the BERA SIG for Mental Health...
Researcher/Senior Lecturer at University of Roehampton
Michelle Jayman is a developmental psychologist with a strong background in education and extensive work experience in schools. She is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Roehampton and a Champion for the British Psychological...
Research Fellow at Loughborough University
Anthea Rose is a research fellow at the Lincoln Academy of Learning and Teaching (LALT), University of Lincoln. She is currently leading the local Lincolnshire evaluation of the Uni Connect programme, funded by the Office for Students (OfS),...