As Oscar Wilde might have said, your report of the death of teacher training ("Teacher training crisis deepens", THES, October 16) is somewhat premature. While some providers may be thinking of closing less successful parts of their provision, most of those you named have just bid to us for higher numbers. To cite the new initial teacher training requirements as the reason for an imagined "mass exodus" is quite mistaken. The requirements were the result of extensive consultation with providers, teachers and others. There was widespread agreement that the new qualified teacher status standards represent demanding but appropriate expectations of newly qualified teachers. And, far from being an imposition, 12 high-quality providers of ITT chose to implement the primary English and mathematics national curricula a year early, in September 1997.
Anthea Millett
Chief executive
Teacher Training Agency