Education Committee to hold first session into teacher recruitment and retention

The Education Committee holds the first session of its inquiry into issues around the recruitment and retention of teachers on 20 June

The session on Tuesday follows the Committee publishing an initial batch of the written evidence it received after launching the inquiry. Visit the Committee’s website to read submissions from organisations giving evidence in this session, as well as the Education Endowment Fund, Ofsted, the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, and others. 

In this session, the cross-party Committee of MPs will question leaders of trade unions and professional bodies. 

The Department for Education’s stats show that 44,000 qualified teachers quit the profession in 2021/22, representing 9.7% of all qualified teachers. This was the highest rate since 2017/18. 

Over the last decade, the number of teachers working in state schools has lagged being the growing number of pupils, even despite increases in the number of teachers being recruited. Part of that increase was due to people from other sectors turning to teaching during the pandemic, seeing it as a secure career option.  

The changes mean that the national pupil/teacher ratio (number of pupils divided by number of qualified teachers) increased from 17.6 in November 2010 to 18.5 in 2021. 

Witnesses across two panels (listed below) will be asked for their views on the effectiveness of DfE’s retention and recruitment strategy published in 2019; possible reforms to pay structures and the way teachers are remunerated; and ways to reduce workloads. 

There may also be questions about ways to introduce flexible working; how to make the workforce more diverse; and the Government’s reforms to teacher training and development.  

Witness schedule from 10:00 

• Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary, National Education Union 
• Dame Alison Peacock, chief executive, Chartered College of Teaching 
• Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary, NASUWT 

From 11:00 

• Paul Whiteman, general secretary, NAHT 
• Julie McCulloch, director of policy, Association of School and College Leaders 
• Jenny Sherrard, head of equality and policy, University and College Union