Initial Teacher Training in the Post‐reform Period: a sample of student opinion in England and France

Courses of initial teacher training have recently undergone profound changes in England and France. In both countries, radical reform has swept away traditional models of practice, replacing them by systems in which schools play an increased role in the training and assessment of students and in which a new emphasis has been placed on the practicalities of teaching. In the turbulent aftermath of these reforms, how do trainees see the new programmes that aim to equip them with the necessary skills and attributes to become successful entrants to the teaching profession? This article compares and analyses the views of English and French trainees in the final months of their respective courses and identifies key areas of similarity and difference between the two systems.