Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many unqualified teachers have taught in classrooms in each of the last three years.

In November 2014, the latest information available, there were 20,300 full-time equivalent teachers that did not have qualified teacher status working in state-funded schools in England. There were also 16,600 in 2013 and 16,000 in 2012. This information is available in Table 1 of the main tables, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2014

Unqualified teachers recorded in the School Workforce Census include trainee teachers on the Teach First programme, as well as trainees on employment-based training routes that lead to qualified status, overseas trained teachers in their first four years of employment in England, and instructors who have special qualifications and experience.

Our recent White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, announced that we intend to replace the current arrangements for teacher qualification with a new, stronger accreditation that will be based on clear evidence of effective teaching practice. The new system will allow schools to employ as teachers individuals with appropriate qualifications and experience, such as an outstanding musician or coder, and put them on a pathway to full accreditation, recognising their proficiency in the classroom.