The UK teaching profession is currently in crisis. At present there are too few teachers entering the profession to meet the demands of the growing population, and for those that do successfully complete their teaching training, regardless of the pathway they opt for, the retention of new teachers is poor, and this is reflected in the high number of teachers who decide to leave the profession within 5 years.
Figures released by DfE as part of its Initial Teaching Training Census revealed that the total of new entrants to ITT is down 20% this academic year, compared to 2021/22. More specifically, new entrants at postgraduate level have witnessed a significant reduction in numbers, with 23% fewer than last academic year.
Failing to attract applicants is turning the cracks in the profession into chasms. ITT recruitment has decreased for both primary and secondary subjects, with a fall of 38% and 20% respectively. These figures suggest that people are disinterested in teaching and that more needs to be done to address the problems of recruitment and retention in teaching.
Why are people not interested in becoming teachers? Of those that do train to become teachers, why do they want to leave the profession so early in their careers despite the years of education that they have invested in themselves? The problem is a lack of awareness of what a teaching career entails, and what opportunities are available for people within the education sector.
