Labour says reforms would tackle ‘exodus’ of teachers from profession

A new package of measures to recruit and retain teachers in English schools would lead to “world-class teaching for every child”, Labour has said.

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to use a speech next week to promise to reinstate the requirement for new teachers to have or to be working towards qualified teacher status, amid a raft of proposals the party says would boost standards in schools.

It comes as schools grapple with teacher vacancies and gaps in staffing, with warnings that the situation is now at a “crisis” level.

Teacher vacancies have doubled in the past two years, according to the most recent official data for England, while more than 40,000 teachers left their jobs in the last year.

Labour said that its plan, which would introduce reforms on how teachers and schools access incentive payments as well as offering more professional development, would help stem the “exodus” of teachers from the profession.

Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said Labour would also create a single framework to simplify the current network of retention incentive payment funds.

Such a move, the party said, would ensure money will be used to attract staff in subjects and schools where they are most needed.

“Labour’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity rests on driving high and rising standards in our schools.

“To deliver a broad curriculum that’s rich in knowledge and skills, we need world-class teaching for every child,” Ms Phillipson said.

“Only Labour has the vision to re-establish teaching as a profession that is respected and valued as a skilled job which delivers for our country.”

More than 30% of teachers who qualified in the last 11 years have since left teaching, the party said.

The party has already pledged to recruit more than 6,500 new teachers, funded by ending tax breaks for private schools.

Labour said it would introduce a new retention payment when teachers complete the two-year early career framework in order to tackle new teachers leaving the job.

“A good retention plan is the best recruitment plan: that is why Labour will bring in qualified teacher status, simplify the complex incentive payments system and reform the Early Career Framework to ensure that every classroom has a world-class teacher,” Ms Phillipson said.

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general-secretary of the National Education Union, welcomed the Labour plan as she warned of a “crisis point” in schools.

She told the Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme on Sky News: “Any extra money for teachers is a good idea. We want Labour to go much further, with better salaries for experienced teachers as well.

“Teachers are leaving the profession in droves – 40,000 left last year, 9% of teachers, 8% of headteachers last year – it’s experience we are missing in the profession.”

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), welcomed the announcement but echoed calls for Labour to do more.

“Schools are in the middle of a recruitment and retention crisis, so it is right that Labour should make this a high priority.

“The ambition for every class to be taught by a qualified teacher is also welcome – every parent should be able to expect that their child is taught by someone with the requisite expertise.

“Plans to improve early career training and ongoing professional development are sensible but Labour will need to be prepared to go further if they are to begin to solve the current crisis.

“We know that issues such as uncompetitive pay and a punitive inspection system are key factors in pushing people out of the profession, and it is only by tackling these that we will see teaching and school leadership become an attractive proposition once again.”

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “We have seen yet more evidence this morning that Labour cannot be trusted on a word they say.

“Labour have flip-flopped so many times on education policy there is no guarantee they will actually stick to this latest announcement.

“Only the Conservatives are delivering on education and driving up literacy rates – putting parents and pupils first.”