NFER responds to report on teacher numbers in secondary and further education

Comment

Wednesday 9 July 2025

Commenting on the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee report on teacher numbers in secondary and further education, NFER Education Workforce Lead, Jack Worth, said: 

"It is critical that the Government takes action now and delivers a comprehensive plan to tackle the issues that are impacting recruitment and retention or it will miss its 6,500 teacher recruitment pledge. Schools are anxious to see the details of the Government’s plan for supporting teacher supply.

“Addressing the teacher supply challenges in secondary and further education requires a strategic and targeted approach to improving the attractiveness of the teaching profession in key subjects and particularly in disadvantaged areas. NFER’s research echoes the importance of building a strategy around the key factors for recruitment and retention raised in this report, including teacher workload, pupil behaviour, a lack of access to flexible working arrangements and teacher pay and incentives.”