England’s secondary school teachers are less likely to have more than 10 years’ experience than in most developed nations, according to a report published today.
Also, the experience gap of teachers at disadvantaged and affluent schools is more than twice as big in England than the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) average, the report states.
The OECD report, published today, focused on secondary education and warns that the most effective teachers do not necessarily work in the schools that need them most.
Its analysis of the education systems of around 50 individual countries and jurisdictions shows that England’s secondary schools have among the least experienced teaching workforces.
Just over half (55 per cent) of England’s teachers have more than 10 years’ experience - a lower proportion than in all but six countries or areas in the OECD report.
The data - drawn from an OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (Talis) survey in 2018 - also looks at the proportion of experienced teachers working in schools with affluent and disadvantaged intakes.
It finds that, in England, the share of experienced teachers is seven percentage points lower in socio-economically disadvantaged schools than in advantaged schools. This gap is more than twice the OECD average.
The report defines a disadvantaged school as a school where more than 30 per cent of the student body is from a socio-economically disadvantaged home.
Advantaged schools are defined as having 10 per cent or fewer students from socio-economically disadvantaged homes.
In England, 57 per cent of teachers who work in socio-economically advantaged schools have more than 10 years’ teaching experience, while experienced teachers in disadvantaged schools represent 50 per cent of the workforce.
The report found that the proportion of experienced teachers was not statistically different between private and state schools or between those in urban or rural areas in England.
James Zuccollo, director for school workforce at the Education Policy Institute (EPI), said the findings showed that attracting high-quality teachers to poorer schools needed to be a top priority.
“The quality of teaching is the most important element of children’s schooling, and it is essential to ensure that all children have access to great teachers,” he said.
“Today’s Talis report shows that England is below the OECD average when it comes to the distribution of more experienced teachers, with those who are in the profession longer more likely to be teaching in more affluent schools.
“Given that countries with a more even distribution of quality teachers tend to perform better in international PISA [(Programme for International Student Assessment)] tests, it is imperative that the government continues to focus on policies that incentivise effective teachers into areas with low pupil outcomes.
“Ensuring that challenging schools have the tools to attract and retain great teachers and the resources to support them, must remain a top priority.”
The OECD report calls for education policies aimed at ensuring a more equitable allocation of teachers.
It also warns that the Covid pandemic, and its disruption to schooling, “has exposed inherent inequities of education systems”.
Andreas Schleicher, director for education and skills at the OECD, said: “The findings of this report suggest that effective teachers do not necessarily work in the schools that need them most and that this can give rise to socio-economic inequalities in student performance.
“This calls for policies aimed at ensuring a more equitable allocation of teachers. The match between teachers and schools can be improved in most education systems. However, this is easier said than done. The right policy mix is required, one that is sensitive to the specific context of each country’s education system.”
Union calls for schools to be involved in future versions of Talis
Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, has called upon the government to reverse a decision for the country’s schools not to be involved in future Talis surveys.
Dr Roach said: “The important insights and evidence set out in the report highlight the critical role that Talis plays in collating and analysing international evidence in a wide range of areas, especially the education workforce.
“Today’s report makes plain the deeply regrettable nature of the government’s decision to withdraw from future versions of Talis - a decision that can and should be reversed.
“The education secretary prides himself on taking an evidence-led approach. He should now demonstrate that he is willing to walk the walk, and not merely talk the talk, on the importance of evidence-based policymaking.”
In September 2020, the NASUWT teaching union, the NEU teaching union, the Association of School and College Leaders and the NAHT school leaders’ union wrote to Nick Gibb, who was then schools minister, to oppose a Department for Education decision not to participate in Talis surveys in 2022 and 2024.
The DfE has been contacted for comment.
