While a cohort of 100 trainee teachers will translate (through attrition) into 41 who stay in teaching beyond five years, researchers estimate that a £5,000 bursary increase could up this figure to 47 teachers.
The study from the National Foundation for Educational Research (McLean et al, 2023) says that teachers enticed by bursaries to enter the profession tend to complete their training and are just as likely to still be teaching after five years.
The study says that the additional teachers attracted by bursaries are “more likely” to teach in schools that struggle to fill vacancies, such as those serving disadvantaged communities.
Furthermore, bursary spending can be targeted at priority subjects, the report emphasises, which allows “good value for money compared to undifferentiated spending on all phases and subjects”.
