Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the reasons for which there has been a decline in the number of people training to become art and design teachers.

The Department monitors and reviews teacher recruitment and retention regularly through the annual School Workforce Census (SWC) and Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Census. As at November 2022, the latest data available, there were over 468,000 full time equivalent (FTE) teachers in state funded schools in England – an increase of 27,000 (6%) since 2010. There were 12,589 FTE art and design teachers in state funded secondary schools. From 2018/19 to 2022/23 inclusive, between 96.3 and 96.5% of all hours taught in art and design were taught by a teacher with a relevant post A level qualification, an increase from 89.0% in 2014/15. The school workforce statistical publication is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

The latest information on art and design ITT recruitment reported against Postgraduate Initial Teacher Training (PGITT) targets, is published in the ITT Census statistical publication, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/initial-teacher-training-census/2022-23. This shows that 478 postgraduate trainees were recruited in 2022/23 (provisional), where 90% of the target (530 trainees) was achieved. This compares to 780 trainees recruited in 2021/22 (revised), where 134% of the target (580 trainees) was achieved.

The Teacher Workforce Model is used by the Department to calculate PGITT targets for individual subjects. The model considers a broad range of factors, including, but not limited to projected pupil numbers, all forms of teacher recruitment (not just ITT), and the expected level of teacher retention. The model also increases (via an adjustment) targets, where relevant, to build in the impacts of recruitment being below target in the previous two ITT recruitment rounds.

The 2023/24 PGITT recruitment target for art and design is 825, an increase of 295 on the 2022/23 target of 530. This increase was driven by the need to make an adjustment to the 2023/24 target relating to recruitment being below target, when no such adjustment was required for 2022/23. The latest published set of targets are available on GOV.UK: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/postgraduate-initial-teacher-training-targets.

As expected, the unprecedented increase in new entrants to ITT in 2020/21 because of the COVID-19 pandemic has since declined. The graduate and general labour markets became more competitive and pay has risen in competing sectors. The best graduates have more choice, and we are competing for graduates who are in high demand in the graduate labour market.

The Department recently announced that the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendations for the 2023/24 pay award for teachers and head teachers have been accepted in full. This means that teachers and head teachers in maintained schools will receive a pay award of 6.5%. This is the highest pay award for teachers in over thirty years. The award also delivers the manifesto commitment of a minimum £30,000 starting salary for school teachers in all regions in England, with a pay award of up to 7.1% for new teachers outside London.

The Secretary of State speaks regularly to her Cabinet colleagues on a broad range of issues, including the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. While there are no specific ongoing discussions between them on teacher recruitment and retention, it remains one of this Department’s top priorities, and Department’s reforms will support teachers across all subjects.

In terms of the funding offered for recruitment, the Department reviews funding for ITT before the start of each annual recruitment cycle, which includes taking into account bursaries in each subject, historic recruitment, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need. This ensures the Department provides funding where it is needed the most.

The Department does not fund subject specific continuing professional development for art and design. Decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rightly rest with schools, headteachers, and teachers themselves, as they are in the best position to judge their own requirements. Teaching School Hubs promote and deliver other high quality evidence based professional development, including subject specific CPD, to teachers and head teachers across all subjects.

More generally, the Department has put in place a number of initiatives that support all teachers’ career development pathways. The Department has created an entitlement to at least three years of structured training, support, and professional development for all new teachers, underpinned by the ITT Core Content Framework and the Early Career Framework. The Department has also launched new National Professional Qualifications for teachers and school leaders at all levels. Since autumn 2021, eligible teachers and head teachers have been able to access scholarships to undertake fully funded NPQs, with £184 million of new additional funding to be spent over the course of this parliament. Further information is available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-professional-qualifications-npqs.