Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 101
Review decision to cut international relocation payments and protect current international trainee teachers.
Recommendation
We are disappointed about recent changes to the international relocation payment which will exclude trainee teachers from the 2024 and 2025 academic years. We viewed this payment as a positive intervention to encourage the recruitment and training of international teachers in key subjects and do not view this decision as a step in the right direction. We urge the Department to review this decision and reevaluate the scheme’s potential to help in providing high quality teachers in our schools. In particular, we are concerned about the late notice given for this change and urge the Department to work closely with Universities to ensure that no students on their way to qualify as teachers in shortage subjects are lost as a result of this At a minimum, this change should not apply retrospectively and international candidates accepted prior to April 3rd 2024 should be able to continue on to their studies in September 2024 with these payments.
Government Response Summary
The Department acknowledges the value of the IRP but states that the decision to close the IRP to new applicants from the 2024/25 academic year was taken after careful consideration. They are exploring other ways to support international teachers.
Paragraph Reference:
101
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Department acknowledges the value of the International Relocation Payment (IRP) in attracting high-quality teachers from overseas to teach in England. The IRP was a time-limited scheme which aimed to address short-term teacher supply challenges in key subjects. The scheme was successful in attracting teachers from a range of countries to teach in England, and we are grateful for their contribution. The decision to close the IRP to new applicants from the 2024/25 academic year was taken after careful consideration of the available evidence and the overall teacher supply landscape. We have found that the IRP was most effective in attracting teachers to England who were already considering teaching here. The closure of the IRP does not mean that we are no longer committed to attracting international teachers to England. We continue to explore other ways to support international teachers, such as through our online service ‘Apply for qualified teacher status in England’.