Education correspondent Vanessa Clarke has highlighted a pressing need for the government to take action in meeting its target of recruiting 6,500 new teachers in England by the end of its term. The National Foundation of Educational Research (NFER) has reported that vacancies in teaching positions are at an all-time high, while recruitment into teacher training programs remains alarmingly low.
According to the NFER’s analysis, only five secondary subjects met this year’s recruitment targets for new trainee teachers set by the Department for Education (DfE), indicating a widespread struggle in filling teaching positions across various subjects. In response, the government has already taken steps to address the issue, including a significant investment of £233m to incentivize more trainee teachers to specialize in subjects facing shortages.
Head teacher Chas Drew from Commonweal Secondary School in Swindon echoes the need for increased efforts in teacher recruitment. With the looming “silly season” from March to May, where resignations are common as teachers pursue new opportunities for the next academic year, schools like Commonweal face challenges in ensuring continuity in their staff. Mr. Drew emphasizes the school’s reliance on its reputation and word-of-mouth referrals as key strategies for attracting new teachers.
Despite recent changes such as increased starting salaries and bursary adjustments, schools continue to fall short of recruitment targets, especially in primary education. The NFER’s school workforce lead, Jack Worth, asserts the necessity for immediate action during the upcoming spending review to prevent further gaps in teacher recruitment. He emphasizes the importance of competitive pay increases, reduced workloads, and targeted incentives to attract and retain more teachers
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