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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 …

Clear

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
12 Recommendation Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr… Rejected

Expand teacher retention payments according to subject and regional demand, reviewing eligibility.

We welcome the initial success of existing retention payments such as the Levelling Up Premium and Early Career Payments. The Department should expand the Levelling Up Premium and Early Career Payments according to subject and regional demand. We have heard concerns about the restriction of these payments to Education Investment …

Government response. The government implicitly rejects the recommendation to expand the Levelling Up Premium and Early Career Payments, citing challenging fiscal circumstances and the need to make difficult funding decisions.
Department for Education
47 Recommendation Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr… Rejected

Reinstate funding for subject knowledge enhancement programmes in five axed subjects.

We strongly disagree with the Department’s decision to axe five subject options from the Department’s subject knowledge enhancement programme offering. Subject knowledge enhancement programmes are crucial in closing knowledge gaps to allow more people to teach in shortages subjects. We consider the removal of 82 Teacher recruitment, training and retention …

Government response. The government has rejected the recommendation to reinstate funding for the axed SKE subjects, stating that funding is focused on subjects with the greatest sufficiency challenges. It confirms a further review of the SKE package will be undertaken for future …
Department for Education
65 Recommendation Second Report - Teacher recruitment, tr… Rejected

Define parameters of schools' responsibilities and ensure accessible wraparound support for pupils and parents.

We recommend the Department clearly defines the parameters of schools’ and teachers’ responsibilities. To support with issues that are not within the scope of schools’ responsibilities Wraparound support should be easily available and accessible. Schools and teachers should be able to easily signpost pupils or parents to other organisations better …

Government response. The government rejects the recommendation to clearly define school and teacher responsibilities, stating it would not be helpful due to complexity. It mentions a Child Poverty Taskforce and existing SEND reforms but does not address the need for easily available …
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 ↗

Correspondence

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