Voicing Silences: the experiences of South Asian student teachers during Initial teacher Education at an English University

South Asian student teachers enter Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in England in significant numbers, yet their completion rates remain disproportionately low. This study examines how racialised, cultural and institutional dynamics shape teacher learning, professional identity formation and developmental trajectories for nine South Asian student teachers on primary ITE programmes at a one English university. Guided by Gunaratnam’s racialised identifications (2003) and Serrant Green’s ‘Silences Framework’ (2011), semi-structured interviews explored how participants negotiated belonging, interpreted mentoring and managed scrutiny of cultural or religious dress during school placements. Findings show that racialised microaggressions, pressures to assimilate and limited cultural support constrained confidence, pedagogical agency and identity consolidation. Mentor relationships and school placement processes emerged as sites of racialised professional learning conflict, influencing progression and, for some, reconsideration of teaching as a career. The study highlights the need for culturally responsive mentoring, equitable placement practices and antiracist teacher education environments.