Supply of teachers examined in Education Committee inquiry

16 October 2015

The Committee raised the issue of teacher recruitment and retention in an evidence session with Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education. Following an update from the Secretary of State, the Committee calls for written evidence ahead of a one-off oral session to examine the issue.

Call for written evidence

Written submissions are invited addressing the following points:

Whether there is a 'crisis' in the recruitment and retention of teachers, including at senior levels of the profession, at a regional level, and by subject, and how the situation may develop during the 2015 Parliament
What the root causes of the current situation with regard to the supply of teachers are
What further action should be taken by the Government to tackle teacher shortages

The deadline for receipt of written submissions is midday on Friday 20 November 2015. It is anticipated that the oral evidence session will take place later in the year and will inform the focus of further Committee work in this area.

Chair's Comments

Neil Carmichael, Chair of the Education Committee, said:

"The Secretary of State has set out her plan for the recruitment and retention of teachers, pointing to teacher numbers at an all-time high. But others in the education sector talk of a crisis in teacher recruitment and retention in England, and warn of chronic teacher shortages in some subjects and parts of the country.
In our evidence session, we will explore whether England is facing a teacher supply crisis or whether it is merely a "challenge", as the Department has described it. For our educational system to achieve the highest standards, we must have an effective teaching workforce.
This session will be the first step of my Committee's work in addressing these issues."

Further information

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