6,500 Teachers Wanted: Education Secretary's Bold Recruitment Effort
Bridget Phillipson emphasized in her letter to all education professionals that there are no "quick and easy solutions" to the challenges faced by the sector.
A New Relationship with the Education Sector
In her letter, the new education secretary expressed her desire to "reset the relationship" with everyone in the education sector, from early years to higher education.
Kicking Off the Teacher Recruitment Drive
The Department for Education (DfE) announced that this letter marks the beginning of Phillipson’s initiative to recruit 6,500 new teachers. The plan includes resuming and expanding the "Every Lesson Shapes a Life" teacher recruitment campaign immediately.
Supporting Future Teachers
The recruitment campaign directs potential candidates to the Get Into Teaching website, offering support and advice from teacher training advisers, a contact center, and a national program of events.
Engaging with Education Leaders
Phillipson plans to meet with union bosses and other education leaders in the coming days. During the election campaign, Labour pledged to prioritize the recruitment of 6,500 teachers, proposing to fund the new positions by taxing private school fees—a policy that has sparked debate.
Transforming the Image of Teaching
Phillipson aims to put education "back at the forefront of national life" and transform the image of teaching, which the DfE says is crucial to addressing the teacher recruitment and retention crisis.
Urgent Call for Action
Phillipson’s first priority was writing to the workforce. She acknowledged that the teaching profession has been "talked down, sidelined, and denigrated" for too long. Teaching unions, who had strained relations with the previous government, welcomed her message but called for urgent action on specific issues.
Addressing Special Educational Needs
Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, highlighted the "urgent need" to address the crisis in special educational needs and disability (Send) caused by "insufficient funding, staffing shortages, and complex bureaucratic processes."
A Journey of Renewal
National Education Union General Secretary Daniel Kebede expressed his anticipation of starting a "journey of renewal" with the new education secretary but urged her to immediately publish the government's pay offer for teachers next year and address workload issues.
