| Abstract: | Abstract Teacher careers in secondary schools have been transformed over the last 25 years. Established careers paths, based originally around the distinction between graduate subject‐specialists and non‐graduate teachers, have been progressively eroded and in recent years typical career progressions have given way to idiosyncratic work histories. Careers in teaching are being replaced by ‘careering’ teachers. As well as making it more difficult to plan a career, the ‘disestablishment’ of teacher careers has profound implications for the relations between teachers with different academic backgrounds and for patterns of influence within secondary schools. The progressive disestablishment of teacher careers has helped undermine traditional organisational patterns in secondary schools. It has strengthened still further the powers of patronage available to headteachers and brought particular benefits to the members of the burgeoning management groups who now assist them with their widened responsibilities. This increase in the influence of those with broader curricular and administrative responsibilities is at the expense of heads of traditional subject departments. More generally, the position of traditional subject graduates, with postgraduate teaching certificates, has deteriorated in relation both to those with degrees in education and to non‐graduate teachers. |
