With a deepening shortage of secondary school teachers, the Education Committee is calling on the Government to invest in programmes to boost recruitment, training, and retention in the profession
CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on UK Parliament
The challenge
The Department for Education (DfE) statistics highlight that despite record numbers in teaching, the department has severely missed targets for recruiting teachers in key subjects. The cross-party Committee has raised concerns about teachers taking classes outside their specialism while vacancies go unfilled, and some schools are even dropping subjects entirely.
In 2022/23, targets for recruitment onto initial teacher training courses were missed in 10 subjects. Among the lowest recruitment levels were business studies (15.9%), physics (17.3%), music (27.3%), design and technology (27%), modern foreign languages (34%), and computing (36%). Retention is also a major issue, with behaviour, better pay in other sectors, and workload cited as key reasons teachers leave the profession.
Government action needed
Robin Walker MP, Chair of the Education Committee, emphasised the importance of great teachers in inspiring students and helping them achieve their potential. He called for new funding for bursaries to prevent shortage subjects from losing out to those with higher bursaries. The Committee also recommends expanding retention payments such as the Early Career Payment and Levelling Up Premium to help retain graduates in STEM subjects.
Walker criticised recent cuts to programmes promoting career development and alternative routes into teaching. Without these, targets for recruiting specialist teachers will continue to be missed, undermining the quality of education. He called for the Government to reverse these cuts and invest in the school workforce.
Reducing workload
A 2022 survey by the Department for Education found that 92% of teachers cited workload as a reason to quit, while 57% cited pay. Many teachers reported that tasks like data recording, behaviour management, lesson planning, and marking took up too much of their time, often driven by the need to be “Ofsted ready.”
The DfE’s Workload Reduction Toolkit, published in 2019, has been underused and poorly received. The Committee suggests revising the toolkit to ensure its relevance and helping schools implement recommendations from the Workload Reduction Taskforce, with progress reviewed by Spring 2025.
Supporting mental health
Teachers are increasingly supporting pupils with mental health issues due to inadequate social and mental health services. Research by the charity Education Support found teachers often help children with cost-of-living pressures and even resolve family conflicts.
The Committee calls for increased awareness and access to wraparound support services, so schools can signpost families to appropriate organisations. It also recommends a cross-government assessment of mental health problems among pupils, with a review of current support provisions by Autumn 2024, followed by joint efforts across government and increased funding for mental health services.
Bursaries and retention payments
To attract more teachers, bursaries should target subjects worst affected by shortages. However, low or non-bursary subjects are losing out to those with bursaries. Introducing or increasing low bursaries could help balance this.
Retention payments, such as the Early Career Payments and Levelling Up Premium Payments, have been effective in decreasing staff attrition. The Committee recommends analysing the impact of these schemes and considering a national rollout.
Career development
A lack of career development opportunities contributes to teacher turnover. The DfE should reverse funding cuts for National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), which help teachers gain promotions. Expanding NPQs beyond numeracy and literacy and establishing clearer career pathways could support teacher retention.
Addressing pupil behaviour
Disruptive behaviour has become more common, with record suspensions and exclusions. The Behaviour Hubs programme, where ‘lead schools’ with exemplary behaviour cultures help other schools develop new strategies, should be expanded.
Supporting staff pay
The recent pay agreement for support staff is welcomed, but without additional funding, schools may have to reduce the number of support staff members. The DfE should review the impact of not providing extra funding and ensure future wage increases are factored into school budgets.
By addressing these issues, the education sector can hope to create a teaching workforce that feels respected and rewarded, ensuring all students receive a high-quality education.
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