The Department for Education (DfE) has come under fire from MPs over its handling of England’s worsening teacher shortage.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has said DfE “lacks a coherent plan” to deliver the government’s flagship recruitment pledge.
In a new report, PAC warns that schools and further education colleges are struggling with rising vacancy rates, while the government’s promise to recruit 6,500 new teachers by 2029 remains vague and uncosted.
The committee says DfE has failed to explain how this figure was calculated or how progress will be measured, especially when colleges alone are expected to need up to 12,400 more teachers by 2028.
There is still “no baseline, no milestones, and no clarity” on how the pledge aligns with the scale of current shortages, the committee warned.
PAC chair Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said: “The government is essentially flying blind, without a clear plan, the pledge risks being meaningless.”
The MP called for urgent action to ensure that staffing shortfalls, particularly in disadvantaged areas and key subjects, do not jeopardise pupils’ education.
The report reveals that 46% of secondary schools in England reported at least one teaching vacancy during the last academic year.
It comes despite £700m being allocated annually to recruitment and retention initiatives, excluding pay and pensions.
PAC chair Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown. Pic: UK Parliament
The committee found little evidence that the government has properly evaluated its programmes, especially non-financial initiatives like wellbeing, flexible working, or behaviour support.
The situation is particularly bleak in schools serving disadvantaged communities, where teachers are more likely to leave, and subject gaps are more pronounced.
Nearly one-third of these schools do not offer computer science A-level due to a lack of trained staff. This is a stark contrast to wealthier areas, where such subjects are far more accessible.
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Reacting to the report, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said: “It is heartening to see the PAC really get to grips with the serious challenge around teacher numbers and subject specialists.
“English schools and colleges are in the midst of the worst teacher recruitment and retention crisis in a generation, created by long hours, poor pay and Ofsted.”
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Workload and pupil behaviour were cited as key factors pushing experienced teachers out of the profession.
The government’s own wellbeing charter has so far gained limited traction, with just 17% of schools and colleges signing up.
PAC is now calling on DfE to publish a full delivery plan, with measurable milestones and regular updates to parliament, to track progress on recruitment and retention across both schools and colleges.
A DfE spokesperson said: “This government is already delivering on our pledge to recruit and retain 6,500 more talented teachers with 2,300 more secondary and special schoolteachers in classrooms this year, as well as 1,300 fewer teachers leaving the profession – one of the lowest leave rates since 2010.
“Since day one, the education secretary has worked to reset the relationship with the education sector, announcing pay awards of almost 10% over two years and committed to tackle high workload and poor wellbeing including encouraging schools to offer more flexible working opportunities.
“We are committed to working with teachers as partners in the push for better, driving high and rising standards through our Plan for Change to enable every child to achieve and thrive.”
