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Select Committee · Education Committee

Teacher recruitment, training and retention

Status: Closed Opened: 20 Mar 2023 Closed: 27 May 2024 18 recommendations 51 conclusions 1 report

The Committee will investigate the current state of teacher retention and recruitment, the main factors causing difficulties and the impact on students. This includes assessing how well the current teacher training framework works to prepare new teachers, and how England's system compares internationally. The inquiry will look at steps the Department for Education has taken … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, training and retention HC 119 17 May 2024 69 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
14 Recommendation Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr… Not Addressed

Improve communication on different routes into teaching and their suitability for applicants.

We have heard that there remains a lack of awareness and understanding about the variety of routes into teaching and what routes into teaching are most appropriate for prospective teacher trainees. The Department should improve communication around the different routes into teaching with a particular focus on clarifying what these … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government response simply repeats the recommendation without committing to any specific action.
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Department for Education
57 Conclusion Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr… Not Addressed

Accelerate efforts to reduce teacher working hours sooner than the current target.

We welcome the progress made towards reducing teachers working hours, acknowledging that the 5-hour reduction between 2016 and 2019 was a move in the right direction. However, workload remains a top concern for teachers. We welcome the Department’s ambition to reduce working hours by a further 5 hours but urge … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government describes the launch of a new digital service 'Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff' which updates the previous Workload Reduction Toolkit. It commits to adding new resources and promoting the service, but does not address the urgency of reducing working hours.
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Department for Education
64 Conclusion Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr… Not Addressed

Make wraparound support widely available and delivered by appropriate organisations for non-school issues.

We are concerned that since the pandemic teachers are spending more time on addressing issues that would typically fall outside the remit of schools, including family conflict resolution and mental health support. Wraparound support must urgently be made more widely available and delivered by the appropriate organisations including local social … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states it does not believe defining school responsibilities would be helpful and mentions a future Child Poverty Taskforce strategy and existing SEND reforms, but does not commit to urgently making wraparound support more widely available by appropriate organisations.
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Department for Education

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
12 Dec 2023 Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP · Department for Education, Sue Lovelock · Department for Education View ↗
14 Nov 2023 Dr Luke Sibieta · Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), Jack Worth · National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), Katie Waldegrave, MBE · Now Teach, Philip Nye · Institute for Government, Professor Becky Allen · Teach Tapp, Professor Becky Francis CBE · The Curriculum and Assessment Review, Sinéad Mc Brearty · Education Support View ↗
12 Sep 2023 Deborah Weston OBE · National Association of Teachers of Religious Education, Hari Rentala · Institute of Physics, Professor Paul Glaister CBE · Joint Mathematical Council of the UK, Rene Koglbauer · Association for Language Learning, Ryan Ball · Design and Technology Association View ↗
11 Jul 2023 Dr Annabel Watson · University of Exeter, Dr Jasper Green · Institute of Education, Melanie Renowden · National Institute of Teaching, Richard Gill · Teaching School Hubs Council, Russell Hobby · Teach First View ↗
20 Jun 2023 Dr Mary Bousted · National Education Union, Dr Patrick Roach · NASUWT, Jenny Sherrard · University and College Union, Julie McCulloch · Association of School and College Leaders, Paul Whiteman · NAHT, Professor Dame Alison Peacock · The Chartered College of Teaching View ↗

Who gave evidence

25 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Deborah Weston OBE · Research Officer National Association of Teachers of Religious Education 1
Dr Annabel Watson · Associate Professor in Language Education University of Exeter 1
Dr Jasper Green · Head of Initial Teacher Education Institute of Education 1
Dr Luke Sibieta · Research Fellow Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) 1
Dr Mary Bousted · Joint General Secretary National Education Union 1
Dr Patrick Roach · General Secretary NASUWT 1
Hari Rentala · Head of Learning and Skills Institute of Physics 1
Jack Worth · Lead Economist National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) 1
Jenny Sherrard · National Head of Equality and Policy University and College Union 1
Julie McCulloch · Director of Policy Association of School and College Leaders 1
Katie Waldegrave, MBE · Co-founder and CEO Now Teach 1
Melanie Renowden · CEO National Institute of Teaching 1
Paul Whiteman · General Secretary NAHT 1
Philip Nye · Data Scientist Institute for Government 1
Professor Becky Allen · Chief Analyst and a Co-founder Teach Tapp 1
Professor Becky Francis CBE · Chair The Curriculum and Assessment Review 1
Professor Dame Alison Peacock · Chief Executive Officer The Chartered College of Teaching 1
Professor Paul Glaister CBE · Immediate Past Chair Joint Mathematical Council of the UK 1
Rene Koglbauer · Chair of Board of Trustees Association for Language Learning 1
Richard Gill · Chair Teaching School Hubs Council 1
Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP · Minister of State for Schools Department for Education 1
Russell Hobby · CEO Teach First 1
Ryan Ball · Director of Education Design and Technology Association 1
Sinéad Mc Brearty · Chief Executive Officer Education Support 1
Sue Lovelock · Director of Professional and Technical Education Department for Education 1

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
16 Jan 2024 — Correspondence from the Minister of State for Schools providing supplementary e…