Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 20
20
Experienced teachers lack financial incentives and structured support, limiting their retention in the profession.
Conclusion
The Department does not offer experienced teachers any financial incentives to stay, such as bursaries or retention payments, or structured support, such as the Early Career Framework for those with up to two years of experience. The Department’s ability to influence teacher workload and working patterns is limited, with school and college leaders responsible 46 Q 30; C&AG’s Report, para 1.11 47 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.24-2.26 48 Q 34 16 for setting the conditions, arrangements and the overarching culture. However, the Department can support schools and colleges in improving the working environment.49 The Department provides support and guidance to schools and colleges, which includes: • A wellbeing charter for schools and colleges to sign-up to, setting out their commitments.50 We challenged the Department on whether it was fit for purpose given that only 17% of eligible schools and colleges had signed up. The Department recognised it needs to do more to encourage take up and are considering whether the charter’s promotion or content needs to be refreshed.51 • Working with Education Endowment Foundation to build its evidence base on flexible working.52 While the school teaching workforce is predominantly female, 26% of female teachers worked part-time in 2023–24, compared with 37% of female employees in the UK labour market.53 Written evidence from the Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher Project states that “teaching is incompatible with motherhood”.54 The Department could provide some good practice, mentioning Dixons academy in Bradford who had implemented nine- day fortnights. We also asked how fathers are expected be teachers with just two-weeks paternity leave. While the Department said this is for schools and teaching unions to negotiate it agreed to look at this in the Burgundy Book and signalled intentions to look at how this could be improved.55
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
5.5 Working conditions are important to teachers’ experience of the profession and play a key role in recruiting and retaining teachers. There have been representations for the department to review the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (the framework for teacher pay and conditions) and the department has dedicated time to engage with partners to understand potential areas for reform. 5.6 The remit letter for this year’s pay round asks the School Teachers’ Review Body to make recommendations on removing the prohibition on non-consolidated payments (including bonuses) in the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) and whether to reduce the salary safeguarding period. It also asks for views on working hours, to promote flexibility and innovation in schools. The department continues to develop and promote the Improve Workload and Wellbeing for School Staff service and encourages adoption of the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter across both schools and colleges. This Charter was created and is being updated in partnership with sector and mental health experts. 5.7 Evidence indicates that expanding and promoting flexible working opportunities in schools can help to recruit, retain and motivate teachers, improve staff wellbeing, and promote equality of opportunity in the workforce. To support flexible working in schools, the department has published non-statutory guidance, a flexible working toolkit, and is delivering a culture change programme across schools and multi-academy trusts. The STPCD now references flexible working, reinforcing that schools should support flexible working requests where operationally feasible.