DfE data: Only HALF of required number of trainee secondary teachers in England recruited

[sunnydaytoday0]

Only half of the required number of trainee secondary school teachers in England have been recruited as the academic year gets under way, analysis shows. Ministers are on course to miss their recruitment targets by 48%.

The DfE said there were a record number of teachers in schools, up by 27,000 since 2010. The unions point out, however, that the number of pupils in state-funded schools in England has risen at almost double the rate of the teaching workforce.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/sep/12/only-half-of-required-number-of-trainee-secondary-teachers-in-england-recruited

But hang on, those glossy soft-focus Get into Teaching adverts on TV show so many wonderfully happy and satisfied teachers, and classes fully of quiet, attentive students? And the government claims teachers are paid so well. Shouldn't training courses therefore be stuffed full of highly qualified graduates who want to do the job? I'm assuming teacher retention rates must be excellent at the moment that it explains why the government wouldn't need to be concerned about a huge crash in new bodies being recruited. Right?

Yes it is. We are meant to have certain number of registered nurses on shift etc. Doesn’t always happen.

In fact we have an issue where new young staff are promoted too quickly and lack the experience.

@Shinyandnew1

my sisters are nurses and once they go up the payscales they don’t spend their lives justifying it. Obviously they work to competency but they don’t need to perform daily miracles and they have job security. Their experience is valued.

I agree, this is definitely a factor that's going to become an even bigger problem in future years. The major drop in recruitment as seen on the chart in the period since the pandemic has coincided with peoples' outlook and priorities changing. Graduates are rating work-life balance very highly, and teaching has to complete with other well paid jobs that can offer FAR more flexibility; flexible work schedule, flexible work location, working from home, four day week etc.

If the government doesn't recognise this as an issue (on top of all the other issues causing the recruitment/retention crisis) then I won't be surprised at all if those recruitment numbers continue to go into freefall.

I didn’t think of it like that in regards to a premium but it’s absolutely spot on. Getting up and out to work Monday - Friday with absolutely zero flexibility absolutely does need a premium ££££ in this day and age.

Too many Pollyannas in education mind. If people stopped working for free/good will the politicians would have to get their acts together to improve conditions.

Getting up and out to work Monday-Friday with absolutely zero flexibility absolutely does need a premium ££££ in this day and age.

I agree. Since Covid, particularly, there has been a huge change in the working lives of many of my friends and family. Lots now work from home much of the week (not necessarily all), they have the option to WFH if feeling vaguely unwell so have taken no sick leave, they can schedule appointments and deliveries around meetings (along with making dinner and bunging a load of washing in!) so they’re not coming home to a cold dark house and having to start from scratch every evening. My DS had a 4 hour commute each day which she now only does twice a month. She goes running, cooks home made meals, her house is sparkling and her (older) kids are coming home to someone in the house and she’s still doing a productive full week at workz

I feel I’m on a hamster wheel and I can’t get off-leave the house in the dark, get home in the dark, alway rushing, no time to do anything properly.