Responding to the OECD Education at a Glace report, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leader’s union, NAHT said:
On teacher recruitment and retention:
“This data is a damning indictment of the last government’s approach to the recruitment and retention of teachers and leaders. It shows the UK trailing other OECD countries across a whole range of workforce metrics, confirming what unions like the NAHT have repeatedly highlighted.
"The last government comprehensively failed to make teaching an attractive profession. DfE’s own data showed already excessive working hours continuing to rise, while real terms pay fell by 20% on 2010 values. Alarmingly, the OECD chart shows yet another fall in the proportion of experienced teachers working in England’s schools, pay falling in comparison to other countries and pupils being let down by a failure to invest to reduce overcrowded classrooms.
“The new government has promised to reset the relationship with the profession and to make teacher and leader retention a priority. We are pleased that this year marks the first of what we hope will be a series of restorative pay rises. Looking ahead, we stand ready to work in partnership with the government to reset the relationship between ministers and teachers, so we can get the best outcome for pupils."
On early years:
“The fact that the UK is among the lowest of all OECD countries when it comes to per pupil expenditure in early childhood education should be a source of deep concern. NAHT repeatedly pressed the last government to invest in high quality, teacher-led early education as the proven route to eliminating disadvantage and closing the ‘attainment gap’. For too long, previous governments have focused purely on access to childcare, and not paid enough attention to investment in truly high-quality early education. The new secretary of state for education has rightly prioritised addressing early education as a key driver in reducing disadvantage. A high quality early education will positively impact a child throughout their lifetime.
"High quality early education remains one of the closest things we have to a silver bullet when it comes to addressing the attainment gap and should be a high national priority.”
