TTR0091
Written evidence submitted by the Council for Subject Associations (CfSA)
Introduction
The Council for Subject Associations (CfSA), as the joint voice for 30+ Subject Associations, is very pleased to submit the following evidence to this important enquiry. We are happy to supplement this at an oral evidence session.
We have structured the evidence under the main headings and questions in the call for evidence However, there is a degree of overlap and points made in one section also apply to others.
The current situation regarding teacher recruitment and retention
- What are the main factors leading to difficulties recruiting and retaining qualified teachers?
- Recruitment and retention of teachers faces many complex issues and has done for many years; however, the picture is worse now than for a long time.
- Years of negative media, sometimes fed by governments criticisms of teachers, have made teaching sound less attractive that is should be.
- There has been repeated focus on poor pupil behaviour by the media and by successive government ministers that suggest it is far worse than it is. Yes, it is a challenge in some classes and schools, but not in all, and classroom management is one of the main focus of teacher training and the support of early career teachers. However, where it is consistently poor, it is one of the factors in teacher attrition. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1148571/Working_lives_of_teachers_and_leaders_-_wave_1_-_core_report.pdf Pg. 17 suggests over 80% or respondents rated behaviour as acceptable or better. The report says there is a correlation with teacher anxiety and poor behaviour where it is present.
- There has, again over many years, been regular reporting of teachers having too great a workload. There is more substance to this, with significant working hours being reported. This is something successive ministers have talked about resolving, but it seems without any real success. Workload, particularly paperwork, is reported as the main reason teachers leave the profession by 2/3 who cited a reason. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/half-of-teachers-plan-to-quit-workload-covid-mf52kmwfb?gclid=CjwKCAjw__ihBhADEiwAXEazJomPqQkYW_U48AOAXpjPqLT_wnZ90xkqSvKbv63LckMleS-MLAK0KhoCGAMQAvD_BwE
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1148571/Working_lives_of_teachers_and_leaders_-_wave_1_-_core_report.pdf Pg. 15 suggests 2/3 of respondents spend more than half their time on work other than teaching, the figure being 77% in secondary schools.
- Workload is not just cited as an issue in England. https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/nationwide-study-reveals-the-top-three-reasons-our-teachers-are-leaving/280350
- https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/talis-2013-results_9789264196261-en
- A reduction in paperwork, especially for the current accountability process, would help.
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1148571/Working_lives_of_teachers_and_leaders_-_wave_1_-_core_report.pdf Pg 18 suggest the wellbeing of teachers is lower than for the general UK population. 86% of respondents reported stress.
- Stress, burnout and wellbeing are reported internationally as another cause for teachers leaving https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11218-022-09686-7
- A real term pay cut over years has only added to problems. The median pay for teachers is 12% lower in real terms today than in 2010/11. Perceptions of pay being lower than other graduate professions and media reporting teachers using food banks have added to this narrative.
- ‘Cost of living’ challenges are making it difficult to recruit people to Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and to retain those that are recruited. Students on undergraduate ITE programmes have to rely on student loans. Those on postgraduate programmes have an additional year of student debt and have to pay significant tuition fees. Bursaries are only available for 9 out of the 17 secondary subjects and not at all for primary, despite recruitment being problematic in most subjects and phases. Student on ITE courses may have additional costs, such as travel to placements.
- It would help recruitment if DfE were to offer financial support to all those training; and help recruitment and retention if loans were written off for those who remain in the profession for several years.
- Recent negative reports on the Early Career Framework (ECF) may have put potential applicants off and impacted on attrition of new teachers.
- ‘Fear’ of Ofsted, perceptions of a punitive accountability system that is stressful, demanding and potentially humiliating may have a negative impact on potential applicants
- A recent NFER report, suggests that teachers have less autonomy in their careers than similar graduates, and that greater autonomy leads to higher job satisfaction and retention.
- All of the above mean the ‘status’ of the profession has been reduced, making it less attractive. https://uel.ac.uk/sites/default/files/rite-nov-2022-pp-36-42-a-status-based-crisis-of-teacher-shortages-exploring-the-role-of-status-in-teacher-recruitment-and-retention-ovendon-hope.pdf
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1148571/Working_lives_of_teachers_and_leaders_-_wave_1_-_core_report.pdf Pg. 19 suggests a quarter of respondents are considering leaving teaching.
- A sustained message of the joys of teaching and the value of the profession to and for society, by government and media and others; and a commitment to address concerns of teachers and perceived issues with workload, accountability, resources and pay by Ministers would be a helpful start.
- Which subjects are most affected? Historically in England, particular secondary subjects are most consistently affected; namely Physics, Computing, Maths, Chemistry, MFL, RE. Other subjects are affected a little less consistently, but regularly, such as Geography and Music. However, at the moment we are seeing all secondary subjects having less applicants and, unusually, primary as well. It is looking like DfE will miss its ITE recruitment target in 9 out of 17 secondary subjects by 20% or more in 2023/24 and even miss primary targets. Attrition affects all subjects and phases.
- Computing has seen a fall in numbers applying since the curriculum was revised to focus more on Computer Science. This is unfortunate, as ICT (as it was) had slowly been increasing numbers training, including increasing numbers of female applicants.
- https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/initial-teacher-training-census/2022-23#dataBlock-30a19679-2f9e-49b6-df42-08dacc6b24db-tablesClearly
- Some secondary subjects are taught by significant numbers of teachers who are not trained in that subject, because of the shortages. This can lead to a lack of confidence for those teachers, meaning anxiety for them and possibly a worse experience for the pupils e.g. RE, Maths. Sustained and quality support for such teachers is needed.
- The English ‘ebacc’ can been seen to have ‘devalued’ some subjects e.g. the ‘arts’. This could be a disincentive to train to teach, or remain in teaching, if your passion/strength is in a subject perceived as less important than others.
- How does the situation differ across the country and across different types of schools and colleges? There are regional variations, with areas of poor deprivation, especially on the coast and in inner cities, struggling more to recruit and retain. Rural areas, where there is less training of teachers, also struggle to recruit.
- Low income schools tend to employ less experienced teachers, as they are cheaper, but these then leave to develop their career (or leave the profession).
- What impact does this have on pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND? Teacher shortage impacts all pupils, including these groups.
- Pupils in areas of low socioeconomic background may be affected more as these areas find recruitment and retention harder.
- There are ‘gaps’ in the CCF and ECF that could be missed from the training or new teachers, as they are not referenced, including some important research in SEND. Some of the research in CCF, for example on behaviour management, is not appropriate for some SEND pupils.
What action should the Department take to address the challenges in teacher recruitment and retention?
- What has been the impact of the new bursaries and scholarships announced in October? Based on the continuing fall in applications, it appears at face value that they have little impact, but NFER data suggest they do have some positive impact. There are definitely some teachers who would not have made the choice to teach without these, especially career changers or mature entrants. The issue is that they are only available for 9 out of the 17 secondary subjects and not at all for primary, despite recruitment being problematic in most subjects and phases.
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10537266/Schools-facing-shortage-of-teachers-after-recruitment-failure.html?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_psc_ppc_performancemax_dynamiclandingpages&gclid=CjwKCAjw__ihBhADEiwAXEazJi436ileB8nKSuBtMjbRgl94UfXn9e1YDSJvTEy0LtBcusPQm4px3RoC9FgQAvD_BwE
- Scholarships have made little overall impact on recruitment numbers in the shortage subjects, as they are in the same subjects as the highest bursaries.
- There are reports from providers that there are some students in the subjects with the very high bursaries who train just for the bursary, then leave after training.
- Some students choose a subject because it has a higher bursary that another subject they might be better suited to. This increases the risk of failure and retention for these students.
- Given the current economic challenges, bursaries for all those training to teach would be helpful, rather than for only some.
- Supporting providers with finance for ring fenced student hardship funds would be very helpful.
- It would help providers plan and market if bursary amounts were fixed for three years instead of changing most years.
- A rate of pay for teaching that is attractive to graduates would help.
- If bursaries and scholarships remain, consider attaching a condition of staying in the profession for a minimum time.
- Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE courses) have for many years been an effective way of helping with recruiting students to ITE programmes in some shortage subject areas. Funding for Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses should increase and be available for a wider range of subjects. A return of short ‘booster’ SKE courses would also help.
How well does the current teacher training framework work to prepare new teachers and how could it be improved?
- What has been the impact of the Early Career Framework implemented in September 2021? The ECF was welcomed in principle by the profession, seen as a funded means of extended professional development to support retention which recognised the importance of mentoring and coaching and wellbeing. However, in practice, its content is already largely covered by the CCF. Early career teachers have reported it is time consuming, adds to workload and repeats what they have already done, so they do not seem to value it. Attrition rates remain high, one recent report suggesting 12.5% after a year; 23% by year 3 of teaching. https://marjon.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/17725/
- It has also increased the burden on mentors, many of whom also work in ITT, increasing their workload significantly. Some report a lack of necessary training to do the role well.
- https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJMCE-10-2022-0088/full/html?casa_token=K8ng3raVSu8AAAAA:EViSUE7f3SdvPGvR4z82MSZZLWJMVT1g_61yv-ZS6DUTU3dig58G_fyY9f0b_Y8et9T-NStVUpwdwN6RHqb4nKXvfoPgdFgWJ00_lgUt4yVEtOqAqO0
- Mentors need realistic support and training, but not to the detriment of workload. More flexible central funding for mentor support would help.
- Neither the CCF nor ECF talk enough about ‘subject’ and the different pedagogies of subjects and age phases, key areas new teachers need support with.
- There is a lack of progression, due to repetition, from CCF to ECF to NPQs; all with a limited research base, limited case studies and a lack of opportunity to critically consider alternative viewpoints, which could deepen teachers’ professional understanding. The ‘golden thread’ needs unpicking.
- There are other ‘gaps’ in ECF that could also be missed as they are not referenced, including some important research in SEND; impact of COVID; climate and ecological education – which ironically is highlighted in the DfE’s own strategy as important for teacher training https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainability-and-climate-change-strategy
- Some of the research referenced in ECF, for example on behaviour management, is not appropriate for some SEND pupils.
- Reference to race, racism, linguistic and cultural diversity are missing from ECF, which could mean early career teachers are not as prepared as they could be for increasingly diverse classroom. Evidence should be sought from appropriate bodies, for inclusion in the framework.
- https://www.ucet.ac.uk/11675/ibte-position-statement-updated-february-2020
- We welcome the ECF and CCF Review, but feel it does not go far enough in the evidence it seeks.
- ECF does not seem to be fit for purpose and perhaps a suspension would be worthwhile whilst support for early career teachers and their mentors is reviewed. Schools and ITE providers could work collaboratively to provide good support for early career teachers, as they did before ECF.
- Are there ways in which teacher training could be improved to address the challenges in recruitment and retention? ITE, as confirmed by Ofsted reports, is already good and the accreditation process has merely destabilised the teacher supply base in England and increased the burden on already hard working ITE staff. Some 20% of providers have been forced out, leading to geographical gaps in the North of England and other areas for training teachers, which will mean some potential students not training as they need to be close to home – for family, financial or other reasons. Other providers have chosen to drop ITE. There is a real risk of a loss of expertise in ITE if staff become disillusioned. A period where ITE can consolidate and evaluate changes would be a positive move, as would a less burdensome accountability process. It would be helpful to allow de-accredited providers to reply for accreditation.
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1148571/Working_lives_of_teachers_and_leaders_-_wave_1_-_core_report.pdf Pg. 22 says 77% of ECTs who responded were satisfies that their initial teacher training had prepared them well.
- The CCF would benefit from evaluation now it has run for two years, but not from the same ‘experts’ who wrote it, as that would undermine the credibility of the evaluation. This review needs to look at inclusion of subject and age phase pedagogies and other areas below.
- CCF does not fully cover the complexities of teaching, presenting a series of interventions without contextualisation or ambition. It draws on a narrow research evidence base that misses out important research in subject pedagogy. https://www.ucet.ac.uk/11675/ibte-position-statement-updated-february-2020 Providers can go beyond the framework in theory, and most do, but time and resource constraints mean there is a risk that some of this could be missed. The DfE should consult with subject associations to identify appropriate research.
- There are other ‘gaps’ in CCF that could also be missed as they are not referenced, including some important research in SEND; impact of COVID; climate and ecological education – which ironically is highlighted in the DfE’s own strategy as important for teacher training https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainability-and-climate-change-strategy
- Some of the research in CCF, for example on behaviour management, is not appropriate for some SEND pupils.
- Reference to race, racism, linguistic and cultural diversity are missing from CCF, which could mean new teachers are not as prepared as they could be for increasingly diverse classroom. Evidence should be sought from appropriate bodies, for inclusion in the framework.
- We welcome the current ECF and CCF Review, but feel it does not go far enough in the evidence it seeks nor in the likelihood of changes.
How do challenges in teacher recruitment, training and retention compare to those being faced in other professions/ sectors of the economy, and is there anything that can be learned from other professions/ sectors of the economy?
What particular challenges exist in teacher recruitment, training and retention for teachers from different demographic backgrounds?
April 2023
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