Bridget Phillipson hit with blow after MPs issue stark warning over 6,500 new teacher vow

Bridget Phillipson is under pressure over Labour’s landmark election vow to hire 6,500 additional teachers as MPs warn it is “unclear” how the pledge will be delivered.

The Education Secretary has been urged to increase pay for teachers and improve working conditions to stop staff quitting. As she passes a year in the job, the Cabinet minister faces a troubling battle with education unions amid threats to strike over teacher pay.

A major report by MPs on the Public Accounts Committee today says ministers don’t have a clear plan on hiring more teachers and have “no clear explanation” of how the 6,500 new teachers pledge “was calculated or how it will fill existing teacher gaps”.

The committee said up to 12,400 more teachers in colleges alone were needed by 2028/29. Elsewhere MPs warned staff shortages were causing “particular challenges” in deprived areas.

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The PAC’s inquiry found that 34% of teachers in the most disadvantaged schools had less than five years of experience, compared to 20% in the least disadvantaged.

MPs said the Government faced a “critical issue” in its mission of breaking down barriers to opportunity, with deprived schools also suffering specialist teacher shortages.

For instance, their inquiry found 31% of schools in the most disadvantaged areas do not offer Computer Science A-level, compared to 11% in the least disadvantaged, and 9% do not offer Physics A-level, compared to 1% in the least disadvantaged areas.

The committee said: “Disadvantaged students risk being locked out of particular careers due to a lack of trained teachers.”

MPs said the Department for Education (DfE) have ploughed £700million into recruitment and retention initiatives including scholarships to hire teachers in certain subjects and a two-year support package for new staff members.

But their inquiry found the DfE has "limited evidence” on its actions to improve workload or wellbeing, despite these being the top reasons for teachers leaving.

It said “worsening” pupil behaviour was also adding to workload pressures.

MPs said that while the DfE was aware of workload issues and, for example, had worked with Ofsted to reduce marking requirements for teachers, it does not understand the “root causes” behind the increase.

Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney, a member of the PAC, said: “The Committee is calling for the government to take a serious look at working conditions, flexible arrangements and increased pay for teachers.”

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