Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Second Report - Teacher recruitment, training and retention
Education Committee
HC 119
Published 17 May 2024
Recommendations
43
Accepted in Part
Para 180
Expand Levelling Up Premium and Early Career Payments based on subject and regional demand.
Recommendation
We recognise the positive impact both the Early Career and Levelling Up Premium Payments can have in improving teacher retention in subjects that are experiencing teacher shortages. In line with earlier recommendations in this report the Department should expand the …
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Government Response Summary
The government has accepted by doubling the previous Levelling Up Premium payments to £6,000 as a new Targeted Retention Incentive, expanding it to include eligible FE teachers. It also committed to keeping eligibility criteria under review and considering further expansion of the offer.
Department for Education
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66
Accepted in Part
Lead cross-government assessment of pupil mental health and review current support provision by Autumn 2024.
Recommendation
Once again, we recommend that the Department leads a cross-government assessment of the scale of mental health difficulties amongst pupils and review the current provision of support available in schools and outside of them. The Government should conclude this review …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the need for cross-government work and commits to improving mental health support, including specialist professionals in every school, new Young Futures hubs, and recruiting 8,500 additional mental health workers. However, it does not commit to the Autumn 2024 review deadline or specific additional CAMHS funding to meet a 4-week waiting time.
Department for Education
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Conclusions (5)
5
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
We understand the Department’s budgetary pressures. However, in order to compete with other sectors and improve recruitment and retention, teacher pay must keep pace year on year with other comparable sectors. It is also essential that funding to enable the continued competitiveness of teacher salaries does not adversely impact levels …
Government Response Summary
The government accepted in full the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendation for a 5.5% pay award for teachers and leaders, addressing the need for pay to keep pace. However, the response did not explicitly detail how funding would avoid adverse impact on other school budgets.
21
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Para 93
We welcome the Department’s continued efforts to encourage ex-military personnel to enter the teaching profession. We view their experience managing people with differing levels of education as extremely valuable to schools. However, the Department should do more to promote the undergraduate bursary for veterans to increase awareness. Further, the Undergraduate …
Government Response Summary
The government stated the veteran bursary is advertised and featured in campaigns, committing to consider how to further increase awareness. However, they confirmed the eligibility criteria remain unchanged for 2024-25 and there are no plans to introduce a non-graduate route for ex-military personnel.
37
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Para 150
High attrition rates in shortage subjects mean that a two-pronged approach is needed to address subject specific teacher shortages. This should look at the retention of existing teachers in addition to the recruitment of new teachers. Reliable data on the number of teachers leaving by subject and the reason for …
Government Response Summary
The government stated it currently publishes some subject leaver rates and will explore publishing subject-level leaver rates from the School Workforce Census. However, it does not publish reasons for leaving at a subject level due to small sample sizes.
38
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Para 151
The Department should collect and publish data on the attrition of teachers by subject, particularly those in their first 5 years of teaching. Data should also be collected on the reason teachers are leaving, to improve understanding of why particular subjects are experiencing higher attrition than others and to help …
Government Response Summary
The government stated it already publishes subject leaver rates and will explore publishing more granular subject-level data as part of future School Workforce Census publications. They collect reasons for leaving nationally but do not publish them at subject level due to small sample sizes.
60
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Para 242
The Department should also put measures in place to monitor the implementation of strategies and solutions across schools and trusts. The listed recommendations from the Workload Reduction Taskforce should be introduced as a matter of urgency with the Department reviewing progress on this by Spring 2025.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges workload drivers and states it has made good progress implementing the Workload Reduction Taskforce's initial recommendations, including removing Performance Related Pay and launching a new online service. It notes ongoing activity regarding SEND reforms and the Child Poverty Taskforce but does not explicitly commit to specific monitoring measures or a review of all recommendations by Spring 2025.