Willis, Richard

Dr. Richard Willis is an historian and author of The Struggle for the General Teaching Council. Between 2000 and 2011 he was a senior researcher in the School of Education at Roehampton University. He is now a visiting fellow at the Institute of Historical Research at the University of London.

Development of Primary, Secondary, and Teacher Education in England: A History of the College of Teachers

2012 0-7734-2659-0
This book outlines the emergence of teacher standards in England which were enacted to raise the quality of primary and secondary education. The College of Teachers in London is a prestigious institution known for pedagogy and training teachers. Willis shows how the college developed into a leading force in the field by giving out diplomas in the mid-19th century. This was something no other teachers colleges were doing at that time. It ushered in a new era in education of raised standards. The quality of schooling throughout the country was elevated by this policy, which other colleges eventually adopted, but only after a long fight with the state to make certifications mandatory throughout the country.