NASBTT celebrates 25 years of resilience and calls for bold reforms in initial teacher training
At the NASBTT Annual Conference 2025 held at BMA House in London, Emma Hollis, CEO of NASBTT, delivered a powerful address celebrating the resilience and transformation of school-centred initial teacher training over the past 25 years. Speaking to over 250 delegates, Hollis highlighted NASBTT’s evolution since its founding in 2000 and praised the growing sector that has thrived despite significant challenges. She remarked on the quarter-century milestone, emphasising the organisation’s role as a steadying voice and supportive community amid the often turbulent educational landscape.
Reflecting on recent years, Hollis acknowledged the profound disruptions caused by the pandemic and the ITT market review, which unsettled routines and confidence across the profession. However, she reinforced that the essence of high-quality teacher training remains rooted in relationships, trust, and a steadfast belief in every child’s potential. She recognised that while some changes have helped expand the community and amplify the sector’s influence, formidable obstacles persist, including recruitment difficulties, retention issues, unsustainable workloads, and funding shortfalls. Yet, her optimism was clear as she cited innovative responses from providers, schools, and mentors who continue to find creative solutions and push forward inclusively and collaboratively.
Central to Hollis's address was NASBTT’s manifesto for change, "The Future of Initial Teacher Training," which outlines five key policy asks. These include making teacher training more affordable to attract career changers hindered by financial barriers, improving public perceptions to restore pride in the teaching profession, offering incentives for schools to participate in ITT, providing formal recognition and support for mentors, and encouraging flexible working arrangements to better support teachers’ broader lives. She framed these asks not as abstract policy, but as deeply human issues affecting real people within the education ecosystem.
Looking ahead, Hollis emphasised the importance of collectively shaping the future direction of teacher training with thoughtfulness and optimism. NASBTT will continue championing affordability, inclusion, and diverse talent pathways. The event also featured keynote speeches from senior Ofsted inspector Andrea Shepherd and Labour MP Mark Sewards, alongside panels on system leadership, SEND and inclusion in ITT, workforce diversity, and the future of teacher training. Sponsors and exhibitors included Mosaic by Penrose Education, Step into Teaching, Chartered College of Teaching, and others, underscoring a broad coalition of organisations invested in the sector’s future.
Emma Hollis’s leadership has been further recognised outside the conference, with her inclusion in Education Business’s Top 50 Most Influential in Education. This accolade underscores her role in bridging policy and practice, guiding ITT through considerable regulatory and market changes while persistently advocating for solutions to persistent challenges such as financial barriers, mental health, workload pressures, and mentorship needs.
The NASBTT Annual Conference 2025 marked a significant moment for the sector, not only in celebrating achievements but also in setting a hopeful, proactive agenda. For associations and trade bodies within education, the conference highlighted the importance of collaboration, innovation, and sustained advocacy in supporting teacher training providers and ultimately enhancing the classroom experience for future generations.