Experts testifying to the UK Parliament's Education Committee have cautioned that the government's pledge to recruit 6,500 additional teachers risks "meeting the target but missing the point" unless it prioritises quality, subject shortages, and placement in hard-to-staff areas.
Key takeaways from the 16 December 2025 hearing:
- Quality over quantity: The 6,500 target is ambitious but may fall short if it over-recruits in oversubscribed subjects like PE while shortages persist in physics, maths, computing, and chemistry. Experts urged monitoring recruits' subject expertise, degree classification, training route, and school placement. Teach First called for directing teachers to disadvantaged rural and coastal schools.
- Retention remains critical: Despite early "green shoots" in recruitment (possibly aided by a weak graduate job market), retention is "dire". One-quarter of teachers leave within three years, rising to one-third for secondary headteachers. School leaders report burnout deterring aspiring principals.
- Risk of short-termism: Cutting bursaries could undermine long-term gains, as financial incentives have proven effective for both recruitment and retention. Sustainable solutions require competitive pay and manageable workloads.
- AI concerns: Witnesses highlighted risks of over-reliance on tools like Chat GPT leading to "cognitive decline" in pupils. AI should handle administrative burdens, but creative and critical thinking tasks must remain human-led.
- Mentoring shortage: Experienced mentors are essential for early career teachers, yet schools—especially in disadvantaged areas—are losing veteran staff. Cases of second-year teachers mentoring first-years underscore the loss of expertise and need for protected mentoring time.
The government's detailed delivery plan, originally due this month, is now delayed until the schools white paper in 2026.