Recommendations & Conclusions
16 items
7
Conclusion
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
We are also concerned that despite support staff pay increasing additional resource has not been made available to schools from the DfE to fund these increases. We are concerned about the additional pressure this puts on school budgets and that without additional funding from the Department schools are unable to …
Government response. The government response does not address the committee's concern about the lack of additional funding for schools to cover support staff pay increases. Instead, it outlines plans to publish information about Teacher Degree Apprenticeships (TDA) on the Get Into Teaching …
Department for Education
8
Recommendation
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
We recommend the Department complete a review into the cumulative impact of excluding funding for support staff pay increases from school funding allocations. Further, going forward, the wage growth of support staff must be factored into school budgets and the Department must allocate sufficient funding to schools to cover the …
Government response. The government response discusses bursaries for career changers and ITT incentives, not addressing the recommendation to review support staff funding or factor their wage growth into school budgets.
Department for Education
10
Conclusion
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
Bursaries should continue to be targeted according to under-recruitment so the subjects struggling the most with recruitment receive the highest bursaries. However, additionally, the Department should introduce lower bursary offerings for shortage subjects where there is no existing offer alongside continuing to promote non-bursary subjects through broad, above-the-line advertising that …
Government response. The government rejects a specific route for non-graduate veterans based on past trials and promotes the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship, rather than addressing the recommendation for targeted bursaries or promotion of non-bursary subjects.
Department for Education
15
Conclusion
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
The Department’s recruitment efforts currently focus heavily on new graduates. However more needs to be done to encourage recruitment from other groups. There should be more and clearer pathways for groups such as non-graduates, former military personnel and those interested in changing their career to teaching at a later stage …
Government response. The government commits to implementing an updated training framework and programme for Early Career Teachers from September 2025, but does not address the recommendation for more and clearer pathways into teaching for diverse recruitment groups.
Department for Education
18
Conclusion
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
Given the extent of the teacher recruitment challenge, in particular severe shortages being faced in certain secondary school subjects (see chapter 5) the Department should be using all available channels to recruit specialist secondary teachers. The decision to remove funding from Now Teach undermines efforts to improve teacher recruitment.
Government response. The government will establish a process for reviewing the existing NPQ suite, continue delivering funded NPQs in 2025, and introduce a new teacher training entitlement for CPD, but does not address recruiting specialist secondary teachers or the funding for Now …
Department for Education
25
Conclusion
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
The Department must also collaborate with other relevant government Departments to ensure routes and pathways into teaching for international teachers remain open, attractive, and easy to navigate. (Paragraph 102) Teacher training and professional development
Government response. The government states its commitment to introducing a Teacher Training Entitlement to support teachers in accessing high-quality CPD, but does not address the recommendation to collaborate on routes for international teachers.
Department for Education
27
Conclusion
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
We recognise the need to get more people onto ITT courses; however, this should not be achieved by compromising on quality, and ITT providers should continue to uphold high entry standards. The Department should continue publicising teaching as a profession through broad advertising that focuses on teaching as a vocation …
Government response. The government highlights its manifesto commitment to improve maths teaching quality through the Maths Hubs programme, rather than addressing the recommendation on ITT entry standards or broad advertising for the teaching profession.
Department for Education
30
Recommendation
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
For the mentoring aspect of the ECF we recommend that more time and resources are given to mentors, in order for them to provide early career teachers with the necessary time and support. Mentoring provides a key strength of the framework, but retention of experienced mentors will be key to …
Government response. The government states the Secretary of State has asked for the STRB’s views on supporting flexible working and will consider future research opportunities, not committing more time and resources for ECF mentors.
Department for Education
32
Recommendation
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
We also recognise that cost can prevent teachers from engaging with Continuing Professional Development. Consequently, we are concerned about the announcement that from Autumn 2024 funding for National professional qualifications (NPQs) will only be provided to teachers and school leaders at select schools. We urge the Department to rethink this …
Government response. The government's response broadly discusses workload reduction efforts, past actions like removing Performance Related Pay, and launching a new wellbeing service. However, it does not address the specific recommendation to reverse the decision to restrict NPQ funding or create standalone …
Department for Education
34
Conclusion
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
The Department should build on improvements in its Continuing Professional Development (CPD) offering and there should be more scope in the system for teachers to gain and maintain seniority through subject specialism. The Department should expand its subject specific NPQ offering beyond numeracy and literacy and establish clearer career progression …
Government response. The government states it does not believe producing a list of responsibilities for schools and teachers would be helpful. It then deflects to discussing other initiatives like the Child Poverty Taskforce and SEND reforms, without addressing the expansion of subject-specific …
Department for Education
35
Conclusion
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
We do not believe that the Department’s decision to reduce the postgraduate initial teacher training (PGITT) recruitment target for maths teachers between the 2021/22 and 2022/23 academic years was justified given the importance and priority the Government has given to maths. Government plans to make maths education compulsory until the …
Government response. The government's response focuses entirely on its ambition to improve children's mental health and wellbeing, outlining plans for specialist mental health professionals in schools and new Young Futures hubs. It does not address the committee's concerns about maths teacher recruitment …
Department for Education
36
Conclusion
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
Targets for maths and other shortage subjects should not be reduced unless the shortage is reversed, and recruitment targets are met, over a sustained period of time. Considering Government plans for compulsory until the age of 18 the maths target must be increased substantially unless the Government can set out …
Government response. The government's response focuses on improving school attendance and pupil behaviour, detailing new statutory guidance and support for children with SEND. It does not address the committee's recommendations regarding maths teacher recruitment targets or targets for other shortage subjects.
Department for Education
46
Recommendation
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
Subject knowledge enhancement programmes should be used where there are minor gaps in subject knowledge, for example, where individuals have a relevant A-Level or degree qualification. The Department should review current subject knowledge enhancement provision with the aim of balancing quality and flexibility of provision. This review should also look …
Government response. The government states it is keeping options for SKE delivery from October 2025 onwards under review. For RSHE and financial education upskilling, it points to existing curriculum coverage, current reviews of RSHE statutory guidance and the independent Curriculum and Assessment …
Department for Education
61
Conclusion
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
It is evident that accountability pressures contribute to additional non-teaching workload for teachers with perceived expectations undermining efforts to implement best practice around reducing workload. This persists despite guidance from the Department.
Government response. The government states that Ofsted will consult on a new education inspection framework for the next academic year, including new report cards and the removal of the single headline grade, and will consider all recommendations as part of that development.
Department for Education
62
Conclusion
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
The Department should increase myth busting efforts around Ofsted to reduce accountability related workload. The joint update from DfE and Ofsted that the Workload Reduction Taskforce recommendation should be published without delay and efforts to reduce the accountability related workload should be monitored on an ongoing basis.
Government response. The government defers specific action, stating that Ofsted will consult on a new education inspection framework and consider the recommendations as part of that development process.
Department for Education
69
Recommendation
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr…
Deferred
We recognise the importance of the work done through the behaviour hubs programme since 2020. Schools need practical advice and guidance on managing pupil behaviour and creating a positive behavioural culture. We recommend expanding the behaviour hubs programme to increase capacity and allow more schools to benefit from this programme, …
Government response. The government notes the Behaviour Hubs programme runs until March 2025 and states it is considering how to integrate similar school behaviour and attendance support into new regional improvement teams, rather than committing to expanding the current programme.
Department for Education