Overseas trained teachers in England: towards a policy framework for professional and social integration

Overseas trained teachers (OTTs) have become an important part of the makeup of England’s primary and secondary education system. Through inadequate, and in some cases a lack of, initial induction and support for professional development, many are at risk of performing sub-optimally and some have become an endangered species. Failure to
integrate OTTs in the norms, customs and nuances of the United Kingdom’s (UK) system and teaching culture is tantamount to professional neglect and has, in certain cases, led to adjustment problems. With an ageing UK population and more skilled professionals moving abroad, the UK’s dependency on OTTs is set to continue. After almost a decade of using the services of OTTs, the government remains non-committal in establishing a framework for effective integration. The expedient use of OTTs must give way to an inclusive and multifaceted integration approach involving governmental and non-governmental organisations and institutions, at all levels of society.