Million Plus

The university think-tank million+ has today (10 February) responded to the National Audit Office’s (NAO) Training New Teachers report, arguing that the Department for Education continues to undervalue the contribution of universities to teacher education and that government should consider changing track if the decline in teacher recruitment and retention is to be arrested.

Pam Tatlow, Chief Executive of the university think-tank million+ said:

“Since 2011 the Department for Education has undervalued the role and contribution of universities in teacher education, a policy that has been continued under the present government.

“Universities have had their hands tied and are unable to recruit as many trainees in 2016-17 as they did this year despite school direct routes under-recruiting. At the same time, school leaders are reporting greater difficulty in recruiting teachers and increasing numbers of secondary school students are taught by non-specialists.

“The NAO report is clear evidence that the government should change track and bring universities back in from the cold to halt the decline in teacher training, recruitment and retention.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. For further information or to arrange an interview, contact Dan Blows on 020 7717 1658 | 07527 336795 or press@millionplus.ac.uk
2. million+ is a leading university think-tank. More information can be found at www.millionplus.ac.uk
3. The NAO estimates that 28% of teachers leave teaching within five years of entering the profession and concludes that potential trainee teachers are confused by the eight routes into teacher training that have been created since 2011.
4. The NAO’s Training New Teachers report is published today (10 February) and is available here.