Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bridget Phillipson and Bambos Charalambous

Monday 9th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North) (Lab)]

3. What steps she is taking to improve teacher recruitment and retention in Portsmouth North constituency.

[Bambos Charalambous (Southgate and Wood Green) (Lab)]

13. What steps she is taking to improve teacher recruitment and retention.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Bridget Phillipson)]

As the first step towards our opportunity mission, we have begun the critical work of recruiting 6,500 new expert teachers. We have fully funded a 5.5% pay award, begun Ofsted reform, and taken steps to make teachers’ work more flexible and ensure that workloads are more manageable. I am determined to reset the relationship between Government and the workforce to drive high and rising standards for all our children.

[Bridget Phillipson]

My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the challenges that we face in particular parts of the country, and there are no greater champions of Portsmouth than her and the Under-Secretary of State for Education, my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth South (Stephen Morgan). We are taking steps to ensure that teaching is the go-to profession for our best graduates, as well as ensuring that we keep experienced, well-qualified professionals in teaching. On specialist support, we have set out measures around SEND reform and additional investment to address the challenges that my hon. Friend identifies.

[Bambos Charalambous]

I begin by thanking all the teachers, support staff and senior leaders in my constituency of Southgate and Wood Green, and across the country, for their hard work ensuring that our children receive the high quality education they deserve. Teachers’ pay, their workload and the environment in which they work have been highlighted as reasons why they leave the profession. Can my right hon. Friend tell the House what steps she is taking to address the reasons for teachers quitting the profession?