Next government needs long-term pay strategy that will help teacher supply challenge

Teacher recruitment and retention in England remains in a critical position, despite a significant pay rise of 6.5 per cent in September 2023. Secondary initial teacher training (ITT) recruitment in 2023/24 reached only half of its target, symptomatic of high targets due to growing pupil numbers, teachers leaving and chronic undersupply in many subjects that has not been matched by sufficient recruitment to ITT.