Teacher Shortages Persist in England Despite Government Efforts
The Department for Education’s (DfE) efforts to recruit and retain teachers in state-funded secondary schools and further education colleges in England have shown some positive results, but the sector continues to face significant teacher shortages, according to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO). The report, titled "Teacher workforce: secondary and further education," assesses the DfE’s work to address the issue of teacher shortages.
The DfE considers the school and college workforce crucial to achieving the Government’s growth and opportunities missions. The quality of teaching is seen as the factor with the biggest impact on educational outcomes, and having enough high-quality teachers across all subjects and in all parts of the country is a top priority. However, teacher shortages can have a negative impact on educational quality, leading to larger class sizes, limited subject offerings, and the use of non-specialist or supply teachers. As the NAO report notes, "DfE currently sees not having enough teachers as a significant issue impacting educational outcomes for children and young people."
The NAO report examines the DfE’s understanding of teacher workforce needs, pay, financial and non-financial initiatives to address recruitment and retention needs, and how these initiatives are brought together. The report finds that while the DfE has taken positive steps to understand and increase teacher numbers, with a range of initiatives budgeted to cost around £700 million in 2024-25, there remains a shortage of teachers, particularly in certain subjects, disadvantaged areas, and further education colleges.
According to the report, secondary school and further education student numbers are expected to rise, and the DfE has identified teacher shortages as an ongoing issue. In July 2024, the Government pledged to recruit an additional 6,500 teachers by the end of the current Parliament, but it is unclear whether this will fully address current and expected teacher shortages. The NAO report states that "to be confident of allocating available funding in a way that delivers value for money, [DfE] needs to continue building its evidence base and exploring opportunities to consider challenges from a system perspective."
The NAO’s director, Emma Willson, summarised the report’s findings in a video statement, highlighting the need for the DfE to continue building its evidence base and exploring opportunities to address teacher shortages. The report makes it clear that having enough good-quality teachers is fundamental to achieving positive outcomes for all secondary school and further education students.
The DfE is currently considering how to split the 6,500 teacher recruitment pledge across different educational settings, taking into account the fiscal environment and demographic changes. As the NAO report notes, "in developing its plans in line with the June 2025 multi-year spending review, DfE is considering how to split the 6,500 pledge across different educational settings." The report’s findings and recommendations are crucial in ensuring that the DfE’s efforts to address teacher shortages are effective and deliver value for money.
The NAO report, "Teacher workforce: secondary and further education," is available online, along with a press release and video summary. The report provides a detailed analysis of the DfE’s efforts to address teacher shortages and offers recommendations for future action. As the NAO report concludes, "DfE has taken positive steps in seeking to understand and increase teacher numbers, but there remains a shortage of teachers, particularly in certain subjects, disadvantaged areas, and further education colleges."
