The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hear from senior
officials at the Department for Education (DfE) as part of its
inquiry into increasing teacher
numbers at 3.30pm on Monday 19 May.
There is a nationwide teacher shortage. Secondary schools and
colleges face challenges both recruiting and retaining teachers,
and the Department for Education (DfE) currently sees not having
enough teachers as a significant issue impacting educational
outcomes.
The National Audit Office (NAO) has found that the number of
secondary school teachers rose by 3% between 2015-16 and 2023-24,
compared with a 15% rise in pupils. Meanwhile, the proportion of
secondary schools reporting at least one teaching position being
vacant, or temporarily filled, more than doubled from 2010-11
(17%) to 2023-24 (46%).
In July 2024, the government announced that it had
begun work to deliver a pledge of 6,500 new teachers for schools
and colleges over the course of this Parliament. DfE has told the
NAO that between 2023/24 and 2027/28, 1,600 more secondary
teachers will be needed; and that 8,400 to 12,400 more further
education teachers are needed by 2028/29. Ten months after the
pledge was announced, DfE assessed its confidence in delivering
the pledge as significantly challenging given the fiscal context.
The PAC's session will see officials challenged on DfE's current
initiatives to recruit and retain teachers, including those
designed to improve workload and wellbeing (common reasons for
teachers leaving); what needs to happen, and by when, to deliver
the pledge for 6,500 additional teachers; and disparities in
shortages for certain subjects and schools in deprived areas.
Witnesses
Panel from 3.30pm:
- Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent
Secretary, Department for Education (DfE)
- Juliet Chua, Director General for
Schools, DfE
- Julia Kinniburgh, Director General
for Skills, DfE
