TALIS 2018, delivered by FFT

Teaching and Learning International Survey

The international survey of teachers & school leaders

The OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) is the first and only international survey that focuses on the teaching practices and the working conditions of teachers and their headteachers in England and over 40 other countries.

TALIS gives teachers and headteachers a unique opportunity to have a say and influence the development of education policy.

What is TALIS?

TALIS is OECD’s survey of teachers and headteachers which is carried out in more than 40 countries. It has taken place every five years since it was first carried out in 2008. England participated for the first time in 2013, focussing on lower secondary (KS3) teachers and their headteachers.

For TALIS 2018, England surveyed primary (KS1 & KS2) and lower secondary (KS3) school teachers and their headteachers.

In England, the Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for TALIS, with support by the National Centre. The National Centre team consists of FFT Education Ltd, UCL Institute of Education and RAND Europe who have collaborated to implement the TALIS survey.

Main survey

The TALIS main survey took place in March 2018. 200 primary schools and 200 secondary schools were selected to take part.

In each of the selected schools, 20 teachers and their headteachers were asked to complete the TALIS questionnaire during the survey period. It’s very important for the selected schools to take part so England can meet OECD’s strict participation requirements to be involved in this study. The more schools take part, the more reliable the results.

Each school was asked to provide a contact who the National Centre team can liaise with directly to provide support and guidance throughout the TALIS process.

Documents

The Independent School Association has endorsed TALIS as a valuable and important survey and encourages the selected independent schools to contribute in order to produce meaningful analysis across all types of schools. Please see the letter from the Independent School Association encouraging selected school’s participation in TALIS 2018.

View the letter

Teaching unions NAHT and ASCL have also endorsed TALIS, recognising the impact that the previous survey in 2013 had in implementing policy change at government level to achieve better working practices for the teaching profession. The union General Secretaries encourage all headteachers of selected sample schools to register to participate, and encourage their teachers to complete the survey.

View reports

TALIS 2018 National Report (England)

View

TALIS 2018 international report

View

Timeline

Key dates and milestones for TALIS 2018

Autumn 2016

Sampled schools were informed about their participation in the TALIS 2018 field trial

Schools registered with the National Centre and began preparations for the field trial survey period

February-March 2017

Sampled schools were informed about their participation in the TALIS 2018 main survey

June 2017

Field Trial survey period

Schools registered with the National Centre and began preparations for the main survey period

March-May 2018

Main Survey period

June 2019

Release of the International and National TALIS 2018 report

July-December 2019

Participating schools received school reports and are invited to National TALIS 2018 conference(s)

Robust evidence

TALIS provides important, robust evidence about teachers' experiences on an international scale. This evidence, especially when taken together with other international surveys, gives our policy makers and school leaders a real opportunity to reflect on what is working.

Duncan Baldwin

Deputy Director, ASCL

Valuable evidence for policy-makers

The Department for Education is funding TALIS 2018 in England. TALIS provides valuable evidence for policy makers, educational experts and teachers about teaching as a profession and how our practices and conditions compare internationally. Findings from the previous TALIS survey in 2013 influenced the Standard for Teachers’ Professional Development and were a key driver of the 2014 Workload Challenge. We strongly encourage schools to take part.

Department for Education

A wealth of comparative international information

I believe that schools of all kinds should embrace TALIS, as it provides a wealth of comparative international information on teaching and learning that can make a huge difference to the children in our care. By taking part, school leaders around the world can inform policy decisions in education, as well as help identify the most effective influences on high-quality teaching. Please do contribute if invited, as the OECD education community deserves to hear what England has to offer.

Neil Roskilly

ISA

The voice of teachers in England

TALIS is quickly becoming the voice of teachers in England. TALIS 2013 showed that teachers in England were spending more time on non-teaching tasks than teachers in most other nations. With new questions on the sources of stress, working conditions and progression opportunities, the TALIS 2018 survey represents a unique opportunity for the concerns of teachers to be heard.

John Bangs

Has real impact

The OECD’s TALIS survey of teachers has real impact. When it last ran in 2013, secondary school teachers told us that professional development wasn’t up to scratch. Government responded with an expert review. At NAHT, we launched new CPD programmes, including our Edge membership scheme to fill the gap. We are pleased that primary school colleagues are able to take part in TALIS for the first time in 2018 to help influence policy in the years ahead.

Russell Hobby

General Secretary, NAHT