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A significant government commitment to recruit an additional 6,500 teachers in England by the conclusion of this parliamentary term may be challenging to fulfill, according to a report from the UK’s public spending watchdog.
The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has pledged to enhance the recruitment of teachers in state schools, utilizing funds obtained through increased VAT on private school fees. This initiative represents a central aspect of the government’s educational strategy.
However, the National Audit Office (NAO) has cautioned that an anticipated rise in the number of secondary school students could exceed the Labour government’s recruitment goals, resulting in unfilled teaching positions.
Further Education (FE) colleges are projected to face particularly severe shortages and will require up to 12,400 additional teachers by the academic year 2028-29—nearly double the total the government has pledged.
Moreover, the intake of newly qualified teachers into state secondary schools for the 2023-24 year has declined to 8,700, marking the lowest intake since 2010-11. The Department for Education (DfE) has consistently fallen short of its recruitment goals for secondary teacher training over the past decade, succeeding in only one year.
With secondary school enrollment likely to peak in 2028, which would further strain the system, the NAO has urged the government to provide a clear plan detailing how it aims to meet its target of recruiting 6,500 additional teachers in the specified timeline. The office also recommended an evaluation of the effectiveness of the current workforce model in further education.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chair of the public accounts committee, remarked, “The DfE acknowledges the difficulty in achieving the government’s goal of 6,500 more teachers. Even if this target is reached, it remains uncertain whether it will adequately address the nationwide teacher shortage amid rising student numbers.”
Clifton-Brown added that a comprehensive cross-sector strategy for recruiting and keeping high-quality educators is essential; otherwise, persistent workforce challenges may continue to jeopardize educational outcomes for young learners.
Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, indicated that despite government efforts, secondary schools and FE colleges continue to struggle to attract enough teachers to accommodate increasing student populations.
Jack Worth, who leads the school workforce initiative at the National Foundation for Educational Research, emphasized that the NAO report sends a strong message to the government regarding the necessity for immediate action if the 6,500 teacher recruitment goal is to be met.
“Current vacancy rates are the highest since 2010, with factors such as compensation, high-stress levels from managing student behavior, and workload pressures contributing to teacher turnover,” he explained.
He also stressed the urgent need for adequately funded salary increases and non-financial measures, like reducing workloads and offering more flexible working conditions, to improve recruitment and retention rates. The Treasury has indicated that any proposed pay raises should be accommodated within existing budgets.
In response to the NAO findings, Phillipson reiterated the government’s commitment to achieving the target of 6,500 new teachers. “We’re witnessing initial progress, with 2,000 more secondary school teachers entering training this year, along with an increase in the number of trainees in shortage STEM subjects. However, there’s still significant work ahead,” she stated.
“With last year’s 5.5% pay increase and a considerable investment aimed at reversing current trends, I’m focused on making teaching the esteemed profession it is meant to be.”
Simultaneously, separate research regarding teacher recruitment points to a bias against male applicants in England’s educational workforce, particularly in entry-level positions such as teaching assistants. A study from Warwick Business School, which surveyed 600 teachers evaluating fictional CVs, found that, on average, male applicants were rated 1.2 percentage points lower than their female counterparts and 1.8 percentage points lower for teaching assistant positions.
Dr. Joshua Fullard, an assistant professor involved in the study, noted, “There is an increasing concern about the shortage of male teachers to serve as role models for boys. However, our findings indicate that men encounter bias during the hiring process, especially for lower-level roles.”
Professor Stephen Gorard, director of the University of Durham’s evidence center for education, who was not part of the study, commented on the findings, stating, “While this represents a small bias against male applicants, the nature of the study as a simulation may not accurately reflect real-world hiring scenarios.”
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