Increasing bursaries to boost teacher numbers is particularly cost effective where bursaries for a subject are currently low. However, the research also suggests that current high bursaries for shortage subjects, such as physics, are also effective and should be retained.
Findings from the report, funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, support previous research showing bursary increases are associated with increases in recruitment into initial teacher training (ITT). The research also finds that teachers who enter the profession due to bursary increases have a sustained impact on long-term supply as they are just as likely to stay in teaching.
The analysis suggests additional spending on bursaries (including the extra indirect costs such as teacher training costs) in shortage subjects would have a positive impact on overall teacher supply. The impact would be similar to a same-cost increase in early career payments and greater than a same-cost increase in teacher pay.
The research shows that currently a starting cohort of 100 teacher trainees will translate, through attrition, into 41 teachers that stay beyond their fifth year in teaching (averaged across subjects/ phases). However, a £5,000 bursary increase, with all else being equal, leads to 47 teachers staying beyond their fifth year in teaching.
