Editors’ Introduction

When compared with other professions such as law and medicine, educators do not have a strong sense of professional identity. There could be many reasons for this, not least because, as a sector, education has been compliant to the demands of others. In the UK, funding controls enforce ever-tighter budgets whilst external bodies demand continual improvements. The national teacher shortage in schools has outlined a range of recruitment and retention challenges including: falling teacher numbers, an increasing pupil population and 1 in 5 teachers leaving the profession within 2 years (EPI, 2022) Similar situations exist in other countries; in Australia and America there remain significant teacher shortages (Guardian, 2021; Campbell, 2021). In addition, an increased focus on ‘evidence-based’ practice has provided a framework for what is and isn’t considered good teaching, constraining choice and the freedom to take creative approaches to the role. The rising number of preferred protocols for practice raises questions about whether or not educators are trusted to use their own professional judgement. As a result, exploring what it means to be a professional in this context has not been high on the agenda for most teachers or leaders.