The Department for Education has been warned that cutting the number of teacher training providers is threatening recruitment in shortage subjects, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem).
New analysis by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) suggests that the initial teacher training (ITT) providers who have lost accreditation had been set to train about one in five of the country’s new physics teachers recruited this year.
The analysis also finds that 68 of the ITT providers delivering training this year - and responsible for training 16 per cent of this year’s trainees - have failed to gain accreditation to continue provision beyond September 2024.
The regions likely to be hardest hit are the South West, the North East and the East of England, which are all expected to lose more than a quarter of trainee places, according to the EPI.
Today’s analysis does not take account of partnerships already formed between unaccredited and accredited providers.
The analysis comes after figures released last week revealed that the DfE missed its target for secondary teacher trainee entrants by margin of 41 per cent, with just 12,356 entrants recruited on to courses.
Last week, DfE data revealed that physics saw less than one-fifth of the targeted number of trainees recruited on to courses this year (17 per cent).
And just 54 per cent of the DfE’s recruitment target was achieved in Stem subjects this year, with only 4,058 trainees starting on courses.
Overall, today’s analysis says that providers who have not received accreditation to continue in the sector are responsible for training 605 Stem teachers this academic year.
The EPI says that while there are 21 newly accredited providers confirmed for 2024-25, “the extent to which their capacity can counter these potential shortfalls remains unclear”.
James Zuccollo, director for school workforce at the EPI, said: “The Department for Education is embarking on a reaccreditation process of ITT providers in the midst of the worst teacher recruitment figures in recent memory.”
Mr Zuccollo said that “improving the quality of teacher training is critical to improving teaching in schools”.
However, he stressed that removing the accreditation of ”so many providers at such a sensitive moment will require extremely careful management”.
“It risks exacerbating the existing teacher shortages that already plague schools, particularly in Stem subjects and disadvantaged areas of the country.”
EPI has said new providers that have been accredited could take on the trainees who would otherwise have been taught by the providers that lost their accreditation.
However, experts highlight “a risk that the loss of expertise and capacity in some areas will lead to a reduction in the number of trainees who are able to gain a place in ITT at a time when many subjects are already struggling to recruit”.
Local provision ‘essential’
In the South West, 30 per cent of trainee places were run by providers who have not received accreditation to continue in the sector.
The picture is similar for the North East (29 per cent) and the East of England (28 per cent).
In the Midlands, however, unsuccessful providers were responsible for only about 8 per cent of teacher trainees.
EPI analysis also reveals that the impact of providers’ withdrawal from the market “will not affect all regions equally”, as “high-quality local provision is essential for schools”.
About a quarter (70) of the current providers were unsuccessful in their applications to be reaccredited to offer ITT courses, leaving a total of 179 now approved to continue offering courses to trainees from 2024.
About a third of current providers that were unsuccessful in gaining accreditation for ITT courses during the DfE review were expected to appeal the decision and are waiting to hear the results.
While providers were expecting to learn the outcome of their appeals at the end of October, the process has faced numerous delays.
A Department for Education spokesperson said education is a “top priority for this government which is why we announced in the Autumn Statement that we are investing an extra £2 billion into our schools next year and the year after”.
“This will be the highest real terms spending on schools in history totalling £58.8 billion by 2024-25.”
“Historically, the number of initial teacher training providers has not impacted the number of teachers recruited into our schools and our investment will enable school leaders to continue to invest in high quality teaching and tutoring for those who need it most.
“This is why we have taken action to raise the profile of this important and prestigious profession. For teacher trainees in 2023, bursaries worth up to £27,000 and scholarships worth up to £29,000 to in key subjects such as chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics are available. We also remain committed to raising the starting salary for teachers to £30,000 next year.”
