Towards a Place-Informed Analysis of Trainee Teacher Recruitment
Rural-Coastal England as a Case Study for International Considerations
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22048209 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tanya Ovenden-Hope (0000-0002-4400-7517, Plymouth Marjon University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 965 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-18 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Education Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/educsci16060965 |
| OpenAlex | W7165179475 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 25 |
This study investigates place-based barriers to initial teacher training (ITT) recruitment in rural-coastal regions of England, focusing on Cornwall as a case study. Utilizing semi-structured interviews with nine ITT provider leaders and nine trainee teachers, the research applies the concept of educational isolation to ITT providers in areas that are geographically remote, socioeconomic disadvantaged, and culturally isolated. The analysis is framed by the critical pedagogy of place and social capital theory, moving beyond deficit-based interpretations of rurality to critically examine how place-based inequities are produced through urban-normative policy and resource allocation. Primary data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four substantive themes emerged: transport dependency and accessibility constraints that structurally exclude lower-income and disabled trainees; housing displacement driven by the tourist economy, which compounds financial insecurity; an “employment precarity problem” where localized primary school oversaturation coexists with secondary teacher shortages; and cultural and professional isolation that disproportionately impacts ethnically diverse trainees in demographically homogeneous communities. The research further identifies that community resilience, while enabling individuals to navigate structural barriers, can obscure infrastructural inadequacy and diminish impetus for systemic policy reform. This paper contributes to international scholarship on spatial justice and rural teacher education by presenting an integrated conceptual framework with transferable relevance to similar rural-coastal and peripheral contexts globally and by offering policy recommendations for place-weighted ITT funding, infrastructure investment in educationally isolated areas, and the development of collaborative provider models
Conceptual framework · Psychological resilience · Qualitative research · Reflexivity · Rurality · Scholarship · Social capital · Socioeconomic status · Teacher education · Thematic analysis · Geography Education and Pedagogy · Indigenous and Place-Based Education · Rural development and sustainability
Seeking Spatial Justice
Recruiting and Retaining High-Quality Teachers in Rural Areas
Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Equipping Teachers for Success in Rural Communities
An Evaluation of Education Policy in England since 2010 and the Policy Consequences for Small Primary Schools
Teacher recruitment policies
A summary of initiatives to address teacher shortages in hard-to-staff schools in the Anglosphere
What works in attracting and retaining teachers in challenging schools and areas
Teacher Shortages and Turnover in Rural Schools in the US
Confronting Spatial Injustice
Attracting teacher candidates from regional and rural areas to initial teacher education (ITE) programs
Teachers’ internal migration to a rural region
Rural-Nonrural Disparities in Postsecondary Educational Attainment Revisited
Naturalistic inquiry
The Best of Both Worlds
Researching Rural Places
Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital
| Highly cited | No |
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