| We decided to undertake an inquiry into teacher retention and recruitment in secondary education because of concerns about systemic problems in the teaching workforce in secondary schools; too many teachers were resigning from their posts, a third had expressed a desire to leave the profession over the next five years and recruitment had declined dramatically. During the inquiry, however, we did not find evidence of endemic problems with retention and recruitment, but we did discover a number of specific problems which pose very real difficulties for those school which are affected. We also explored a number of underlying issues which need to be addressed in order to prevent difficulties in the future.
Challenging schools have particular problems with retention and recruitment. We believe that one of the best ways to help them retain teachers is to seek out those trainees who are keen to work in challenging schools and to provide them with specially tailored training and a network of post-qualification support. We were impressed by the work of Center X at UCLA, which trains and supports teachers in this way, and we recommend that similar programmes are developed here.
It not just the more challenging schools which have difficulties in recruiting staff. The School Teachers' Review Body is suggesting that schools which face persistent labour market difficulties should be allowed to offer higher levels of pay. Where there are persistent problems of recruitment it is surely right in the interests of children's education that financial incentives are available to attract teachers. They have worked well in encouraging more people to train as secondary teachers, and could make a significant difference. We look forward to seeing the School Teachers' Review Body's recommendations following its consultation.
There are persistent shortages of teachers in some subjects, which the Government has sought to address through training bursaries and "Golden Hellos". Problems with the designated shortage subjects, and with others, need to be closely monitored to make sure that policies to encourage people to teach in these subjects are effective. On a related issue, more information is needed on the numbers of teachers in secondary school teaching outside their specialist subjects and the reasons why they are doing so, and we welcome the fact that the DfES is commissioning a research project into the deployment patterns of mathematics and science teachers.
The workload agreement is designed to take certain administrative tasks away from teachers and provide them with more preparation and other non-contact time. The successful implementation of the agreement could aid significantly the retention of teachers in the profession, but there are substantial problems. The DfES needs to do its utmost to keep the workload agreement in place and to encourage those who are not participating in it to do so.
We heard in evidence that fewer than 50% of those who begin teacher training are teaching after five years. It is notable that the retention rate of those who train through the employment based routes is considerably higher than the university or postgraduate courses, with more than 90% achieving qualified teacher status. Concerns about the high level of drop-out from initial teacher training could be addressed by seeking to expand the employment based routes.
We were told that, where it worked well, the new induction year for newly qualified teachers made it more likely that people would stay in the profession at the end of the year. We recommend the introduction of a graduate entry programme integrating the end of training, the induction year and support in the early year's of a teacher's career. This could reduce significantly the number of teachers who are no longer teaching within five years of qualifying.
Poor standards of pupil behaviour—general indiscipline, violent behaviour and verbal abuse—is the reason given by many teachers for leaving or contemplating leaving the teaching profession. A reduction in the incidence of poor behaviour in schools will help both teachers and pupils. If the Government's behaviour improvement strategies work, they should be pursued with vigour. If they do not, alternatives need to be found. In any event, the evaluation needs to be as thorough and as expeditious as possible. We cannot afford to wait for years to discover whether or not the DfES is on the right track.
Despite the influx of new teachers through initial teacher training, 50% of teachers are over 45. That could spell problems for schools over the next ten to fifteen years. One of the themes of this inquiry has been that teaching should no longer be seen necessarily as a career for life, and with more people joining at a later stage in life the age profile can be expected to change. What is needed is a good balance within the profession; those who have long-term careers in teaching, those who teach and then move on to another career and those who come to teaching as a second or third career. We do not suggest that a balanced profession is an easy thing to achieve, but it is a situation which needs to be managed, so far as that is possible, rather than left entirely to chance.
On 8 July the Government set out its plans for schools for the next five years. One thing is certain: the success of the Government's policies for improving schools depends on teachers. As part of its five year strategy, the Government must develop a plan for the structure and strategic management of the teaching profession which addresses the specific issues we have identified; without sufficient appropriately qualified and experienced teachers, all plans for improvements in school provision will come to nothing.
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