Teacher recruitment, training and retention

Education Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 20 Mar 2023 Closed: 27 May 2024 Parliament page
The Committee will investigate the current state of teacher retention and recruitment, the main factors causing difficulties and the impact on students. This includes assessing how well the current teacher training framework works to prepare new teachers, and how England's system compares internationally. The inquiry will look at steps the … Read more
18 Recommendations
51 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
1 Letter
5 Events
Activity timeline 13 events
16 Jan
2025
Report published
17 May
2024
Report published
16 Jan
2024
Correspondence
12 Dec
2023
Oral evidence
12 Dec
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
14 Nov
2023
Oral evidence
14 Nov
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
12 Sep
2023
Oral evidence
12 Sep
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
11 Jul
2023
Oral evidence
11 Jul
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
20 Jun
2023
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
12 Dec 2023
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Teacher recruitment, training and retention
Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP · Department for Education Sue Lovelock · Department for Education
14 Nov 2023
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Teacher recruitment, training and retention
Dr Luke Sibieta · Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) Jack Worth · National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) Katie Waldegrave, MBE · Now Teach Philip Nye · Institute for Government Professor Becky Allen · Teach Tapp Professor Becky Francis CBE · The Curriculum and Assessment Review Sinéad Mc Brearty · Education Support
12 Sep 2023
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Teacher recruitment, training and retention
Deborah Weston OBE · National Association of Teachers of Religious Education Hari Rentala · Institute of Physics Professor Paul Glaister CBE · Joint Mathematical Council of the UK Rene Koglbauer · Association for Language Learning Ryan Ball · Design and Technology Association
11 Jul 2023
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Teacher training, recruitment and retention
Dr Annabel Watson · University of Exeter Dr Jasper Green · Institute of Education Melanie Renowden · National Institute of Teaching Richard Gill · Teaching School Hubs Council Russell Hobby · Teach First
20 Jun 2023
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Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Dr Mary Bousted · National Education Union Dr Patrick Roach · NASUWT Jenny Sherrard · University and College Union Julie McCulloch · Association of School and College Leaders Paul Whiteman · NAHT Professor Dame Alison Peacock · The Chartered College of Teaching
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, training and retention HC 119 17 May 2024 69 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
16 results
Clear
7 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Insufficient DfE funding for support staff pay increases strains school budgets.
We are also concerned that despite support staff pay increasing additional resource has not been made available to schools from the DfE to fund these increases. We are concerned about the additional pressure this puts on school budgets and that … Read more
Government Response
The government response does not address the committee's concern about the lack of additional funding for schools to cover support staff pay increases. Instead, it outlines plans to publish information about Teacher Degree Apprenticeships (TDA) on the Get Into Teaching website and GOV.UK.
Department for Education
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8 Recommendation Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Complete review of unfunded support staff pay increases and allocate sufficient funding.
We recommend the Department complete a review into the cumulative impact of excluding funding for support staff pay increases from school funding allocations. Further, going forward, the wage growth of support staff must be factored into school budgets and the … Read more
Government Response
The government response discusses bursaries for career changers and ITT incentives, not addressing the recommendation to review support staff funding or factor their wage growth into school budgets.
Department for Education
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10 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Introduce lower bursary offerings for shortage subjects and promote non-bursary teaching vocations.
Bursaries should continue to be targeted according to under-recruitment so the subjects struggling the most with recruitment receive the highest bursaries. However, additionally, the Department should introduce lower bursary offerings for shortage subjects where there is no existing offer alongside … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects a specific route for non-graduate veterans based on past trials and promotes the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship, rather than addressing the recommendation for targeted bursaries or promotion of non-bursary subjects.
Department for Education
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15 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Teacher recruitment efforts overly focus on graduates, neglecting other potential groups.
The Department’s recruitment efforts currently focus heavily on new graduates. However more needs to be done to encourage recruitment from other groups. There should be more and clearer pathways for groups such as non-graduates, former military personnel and those interested … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to implementing an updated training framework and programme for Early Career Teachers from September 2025, but does not address the recommendation for more and clearer pathways into teaching for diverse recruitment groups.
Department for Education
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18 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Reverse decision to remove Now Teach funding, utilising all channels for recruitment.
Given the extent of the teacher recruitment challenge, in particular severe shortages being faced in certain secondary school subjects (see chapter 5) the Department should be using all available channels to recruit specialist secondary teachers. The decision to remove funding … Read more
Government Response
The government will establish a process for reviewing the existing NPQ suite, continue delivering funded NPQs in 2025, and introduce a new teacher training entitlement for CPD, but does not address recruiting specialist secondary teachers or the funding for Now Teach.
Department for Education
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25 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Collaborate with departments to ensure attractive and easy pathways for international teachers.
The Department must also collaborate with other relevant government Departments to ensure routes and pathways into teaching for international teachers remain open, attractive, and easy to navigate. (Paragraph 102) Teacher training and professional development Read more
Government Response
The government states its commitment to introducing a Teacher Training Entitlement to support teachers in accessing high-quality CPD, but does not address the recommendation to collaborate on routes for international teachers.
Department for Education
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27 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Continue publicising teaching as a vocation through broad advertising to attract high quality candidates.
We recognise the need to get more people onto ITT courses; however, this should not be achieved by compromising on quality, and ITT providers should continue to uphold high entry standards. The Department should continue publicising teaching as a profession … Read more
Government Response
The government highlights its manifesto commitment to improve maths teaching quality through the Maths Hubs programme, rather than addressing the recommendation on ITT entry standards or broad advertising for the teaching profession.
Department for Education
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30 Recommendation Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Allocate additional time and resources to Early Career Framework mentors for teacher support
For the mentoring aspect of the ECF we recommend that more time and resources are given to mentors, in order for them to provide early career teachers with the necessary time and support. Mentoring provides a key strength of the … Read more
Government Response
The government states the Secretary of State has asked for the STRB’s views on supporting flexible working and will consider future research opportunities, not committing more time and resources for ECF mentors.
Department for Education
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32 Recommendation Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Reinstate National Professional Qualifications funding for all teachers and establish standalone funding
We also recognise that cost can prevent teachers from engaging with Continuing Professional Development. Consequently, we are concerned about the announcement that from Autumn 2024 funding for National professional qualifications (NPQs) will only be provided to teachers and school leaders … Read more
Government Response
The government's response broadly discusses workload reduction efforts, past actions like removing Performance Related Pay, and launching a new wellbeing service. However, it does not address the specific recommendation to reverse the decision to restrict NPQ funding or create standalone funding.
Department for Education
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34 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Expand subject-specific National Professional Qualifications and establish clearer career progression pathways
The Department should build on improvements in its Continuing Professional Development (CPD) offering and there should be more scope in the system for teachers to gain and maintain seniority through subject specialism. The Department should expand its subject specific NPQ … Read more
Government Response
The government states it does not believe producing a list of responsibilities for schools and teachers would be helpful. It then deflects to discussing other initiatives like the Child Poverty Taskforce and SEND reforms, without addressing the expansion of subject-specific NPQs or clearer career progression pathways.
Department for Education
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35 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Reducing maths teacher recruitment targets unjustified given compulsory maths plans and demand
We do not believe that the Department’s decision to reduce the postgraduate initial teacher training (PGITT) recruitment target for maths teachers between the 2021/22 and 2022/23 academic years was justified given the importance and priority the Government has given to … Read more
Government Response
The government's response focuses entirely on its ambition to improve children's mental health and wellbeing, outlining plans for specialist mental health professionals in schools and new Young Futures hubs. It does not address the committee's concerns about maths teacher recruitment targets.
Department for Education
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36 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Increase maths teacher recruitment targets substantially and maintain other shortage subject targets
Targets for maths and other shortage subjects should not be reduced unless the shortage is reversed, and recruitment targets are met, over a sustained period of time. Considering Government plans for compulsory until the age of 18 the maths target … Read more
Government Response
The government's response focuses on improving school attendance and pupil behaviour, detailing new statutory guidance and support for children with SEND. It does not address the committee's recommendations regarding maths teacher recruitment targets or targets for other shortage subjects.
Department for Education
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46 Recommendation Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Review subject knowledge enhancement provision to balance quality, flexibility, and upskill teachers.
Subject knowledge enhancement programmes should be used where there are minor gaps in subject knowledge, for example, where individuals have a relevant A-Level or degree qualification. The Department should review current subject knowledge enhancement provision with the aim of balancing … Read more
Government Response
The government states it is keeping options for SKE delivery from October 2025 onwards under review. For RSHE and financial education upskilling, it points to existing curriculum coverage, current reviews of RSHE statutory guidance and the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, and a future Teacher Training Entitlement for CPD, rather than specific SKE options for these subjects.
Department for Education
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61 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Accountability pressures significantly contribute to teachers' non-teaching workload, hindering reduction efforts.
It is evident that accountability pressures contribute to additional non-teaching workload for teachers with perceived expectations undermining efforts to implement best practice around reducing workload. This persists despite guidance from the Department. Read more
Government Response
The government states that Ofsted will consult on a new education inspection framework for the next academic year, including new report cards and the removal of the single headline grade, and will consider all recommendations as part of that development.
Department for Education
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62 Conclusion Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Increase Ofsted myth-busting efforts and monitor accountability-related workload reduction on an ongoing basis.
The Department should increase myth busting efforts around Ofsted to reduce accountability related workload. The joint update from DfE and Ofsted that the Workload Reduction Taskforce recommendation should be published without delay and efforts to reduce the accountability related workload … Read more
Government Response
The government defers specific action, stating that Ofsted will consult on a new education inspection framework and consider the recommendations as part of that development process.
Department for Education
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69 Recommendation Deferred
Second Report - Teacher recruitmen…
Expand the behaviour hubs programme to increase capacity and benefit more schools.
We recognise the importance of the work done through the behaviour hubs programme since 2020. Schools need practical advice and guidance on managing pupil behaviour and creating a positive behavioural culture. We recommend expanding the behaviour hubs programme to increase … Read more
Government Response
The government notes the Behaviour Hubs programme runs until March 2025 and states it is considering how to integrate similar school behaviour and attendance support into new regional improvement teams, rather than committing to expanding the current programme.
Department for Education
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Government Response AI assessment · 69 of 18 classified
Accepted 28
Accepted in Part 7
Acknowledged 12
Deferred 16
Not Addressed 3
Rejected 3
Total 18 recs + 51 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
16 Jan 2024 Correspondence from the Minister of State for Schools providing supplementary evidence following his recent appearance before the Committee for the Teacher recruitment, training and retention inquiry
Parliament page