Teach First

Teach First
N Chadwick · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Teach First
Formation	2002
Type	Charity; social enterprise
Headquarters	London
Region served	England; Wales; Northern Ireland
Leader title	CEO

Teach First is a UK-based charity and social enterprise that recruits and trains graduates to work in schools serving disadvantaged communities. It operates a leadership development programme placing participants in London and other regions including Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, and Newcastle upon Tyne. The organisation interfaces with state-funded institutions such as Ofsted, Department for Education, Academies Enterprise Trust, and university partners like University College London, University of Manchester, and University of Cambridge.

History

Founded in 2002, the organisation emerged in response to policy debates sparked by figures including Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Esther Rantzen, and advocates from Teach For America and Education Endowment Foundation. Early leadership featured individuals with links to McKinsey & Company, Shell, JP Morgan, and KPMG. Expansion through the 2000s intersected with initiatives by Local Education Authorities in cities such as Liverpool, Sheffield, Nottingham, and Cardiff. The charity’s development involved collaborations with philanthropists and organisations including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Comic Relief, Barclays, Royal Society, and the Prince’s Trust. High-profile supporters and critics ranged from Michael Gove and Alan Milburn to commentators at The Guardian, The Times, Daily Telegraph, and Financial Times.

Organisation and Governance

Governance structures include a board comprising trustees drawn from sectors represented by alumni of firms like Goldman Sachs, Accenture, Deloitte, PwC, and Eversheds. Executive leadership has included CEOs with backgrounds at Nesta, Teach For America, British Council, and Save the Children. The organisation registers with regulatory bodies including the Charity Commission for England and Wales and complies with statutory frameworks from Department for Education policy and inspection regimes by Ofsted. Regional offices coordinate with local authorities such as Islington Council, Tower Hamlets London Borough Council, Bristol City Council, and Leeds City Council, and with multi-academy trusts including United Learning and Outwood Grange Academies Trust.

Programmes and Training

Core provision is a leadership development programme combining school-based placements with postgraduate study and accreditation from institutions such as King’s College London, University of Oxford, University of Birmingham, and London School of Economics. Participants undertake classroom teaching alongside professional development influenced by models from Teach For America, New Leaders, and Ambition Institute. Curricula reference pedagogy research from John Hattie, Dylan Wiliam, Rosenshine, and evaluations produced by National Foundation for Educational Research, Education Policy Institute, and Institute for Fiscal Studies. Specialist pathways have linked with organisations including Royal College of Teaching, National Association of Head Teachers, Association of Teachers and Lecturers, NASUWT, and National Education Union.

Impact and Criticism

Impact assessments cite outcomes measured by researchers at University College London, Institute of Education, London School of Economics, University of Manchester, and independent bodies such as Education Endowment Foundation and What Works Centre for Education. Positive evaluations emphasise leadership pipelines that feed into roles at Ofsted, Local Authorities, Department for Education, and headships within trusts like Ark Schools and Academies Enterprise Trust. Criticism has been voiced by unions and academics from University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and University of Warwick, highlighting concerns similar to debates involving Teach For America, City Year, and policy positions of Michael Gove and Esther McVey. Media scrutiny from BBC, Channel 4, ITV, and newspapers such as The Independent has addressed retention rates, classroom preparedness, and relations with institutions like National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding streams include corporate partnerships with PwC, EY, HSBC, Barclays, Vodafone, Tesco, and philanthropic support from Wellcome Trust, Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts, and foundations linked to Lord Sainsbury. Collaborative projects have involved policy units and NGOs such as Nesta, Nesta Challenge Prizes, Nesta Innovation, Nesta Impact Investments, Teach For America, City Year UK, Varkey Foundation, Education Development Trust, and Department for Education. Strategic research partnerships have been conducted with universities including King’s College London, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, and think tanks like Institute for Fiscal Studies and Policy Exchange. Commercial and pro bono support has come from law firms such as Linklaters and Allen & Overy and consultancy firms including McKinsey & Company and Boston Consulting Group.

Category:Education charities based in the United Kingdom