Commenting on the publication of the DfE’s ITT Census data, Jack Worth, School Workforce Lead at the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), said:
“Today’s initial teacher training (ITT) data reveals that not enough teachers are entering teacher training across a large range of secondary subjects to meet the need for future teachers.
“Thirteen out of the 17 secondary subjects, as well as primary, failed to meet their recruitment targets. The ITT system attracted less than half (44 per cent) of the science teachers required to meet schools’ supply needs, which will exacerbate existing shortages in this key subject.
“Teacher recruitment and retention will remain a key challenge for the education system for the foreseeable future, unless radical action is taken to address the most pressing underlying challenges, such as pay and workload.”