As reported by The Guardian, a government promise to recruit 6,500 additional teachers in England by the end of this parliament is at serious risk of falling short, according to a new report from the National Audit Office (NAO)

The recruitment pledge – central to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s education strategy – is funded through the introduction of VAT on private school fees and aims to boost staffing levels in state schools. However, the NAO has warned that rising pupil numbers, especially in secondary schools, are likely to outpace recruitment efforts, leaving key roles unfilled.

The report, published on Wednesday, highlights growing concerns over teacher shortages, particularly in further education (FE) colleges, which already face acute recruitment and retention challenges. The NAO estimates that FE colleges alone will need an additional 12,400 teachers by 2028-29 nearly double the government’s overall target for extra teachers across the board.

Adding to the pressure, the number of newly qualified teachers joining state secondary schools fell to just 8,700 in 2023-24, the lowest figure since 2010-11. The Department for Education (DfE) has also missed its secondary teacher training recruitment target in nine of the past ten years.

With secondary school pupil numbers projected to peak in 2028, the NAO is calling on the government to publish a clear delivery plan for meeting its 6,500-teacher pledge. It also recommends a full review of the FE workforce model, questioning whether it remains fit for purpose in today’s education landscape.