Shortfall in new teachers ‘exacerbates’ science crisis

TEACHER recruitment has fallen to a record low with fears that “catastrophic” shortfalls in science candidates will worsen existing supply issues.

Just 71 per cent of the Government’s targets for initial teacher training recruitment have been met for 2022-23, figures released by the Department for Education show.

In total, 28,991 teachers were recruited for the start of this academic year in September, down by a fifth on the previous year. Fewer than half the science teachers required to meet school needs – 44 per cent – were taken on. The target for physics hit just 17 per cent, design and technology 25 per cent, and computing 30 per cent.

Jack Worth, of the National Foundation for Educational Research, warned that the figures would “exacerbate existing shortages” in science, adding: “Teacher recruitment and retention will remain a key challenge for the education system for the foreseeable future unless radical action is taken to address the most pressing underlying challenges, such as pay and workload.”

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the figures for recruitment were “nothing short of catastrophic”. “The Government has consistently missed its own targets for recruitment over the course of the past decade but this is a new low,” he added.

He said that long-term erosion of teachers’ pay was a “key cause” of the crisis, as it had fallen in real terms by a fifth since 2010.

“This is compounded by the Government’s under-funding of schools which has driven up workload and made the

’The Government has missed its own recruitment targets over the last decade but this is a new low’

profession less attractive,” he said. In total, the Government met 59 per cent of its secondary school recruitment targets and 93 per cent of its primary school goals.

A government spokesman said: “We understand that teacher recruitment is challenging, which is why we have taken action to raise the profile of this important and prestigious profession.”

He said next year bursaries worth up to £27,000 and scholarships of up to £29,000 would be available to trainees in subjects such as chemistry, computing, maths and physics.