Responding to a new TUC report showing that teacher vacancy rates have risen in nearly nine in 10 local authorities in England since 2010 Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“The government has failed to hit its recruitment targets – and this is damaging our children’s education.

“Teachers and leaders are managing alarming gaps in every part of education. This is fuelled by a collapse in graduates going into teacher training, more recently qualified teachers quitting, and experienced teachers preferring to leave the profession rather than take on the responsibility of the leadership. 

"To attract and retain top talent, teaching must become a competitive profession with better pay, improved conditions, and reduced workload. Our children's education depends on it.”