Bridget Phillipson has spun the Labour manifesto pledge to hire 6,500 extra teachers into something else entirely. Because teacher numbers are actually falling…
The Education Secretary has tweeted about new teacher numbers:
“Latest stats show we’re over 70% of the way to our target to recruit 6,500 teachers in the places they’re needed most.
We have 4,654 more teachers in those schools and colleges compared to 2024.”
The 4,654 is an inflated composite because the government’s own release credits only 3,000 secondary and special teachers to the pledge. The number only reaches 4,654 by adding in further education from a separate workforce dataset…
Overall FTE teachers are down 1,900 from 2024 and the total workforce is down 1,500. Secondary teachers actually fell by 500 in the last year, despite being one of the sectors she claims growth in…
UPDATE: There is now a row over whether Further Education teachers count. The Tories point out that the government’s “mission” release on the manifesto pledge indicated schools only were in scope:
“Our first step for the opportunity mission is recruiting 6,500 extra teachers, focussing on subjects with shortages and areas with the biggest recruitment challenges. This will be critical to children’s success in school. But to access excellent teaching, and free teachers to teach the whole class, children must start school ready to learn.
Delivering our next steps in giving children the best start in life will require accessible, integrated baby and early childhood services to build the foundations for future success.”
A Labour source insists colleges have been in the language since at least last year and hits back:
“It’s unsurprising the Tories want to erase FE teachers from the picture – it’s this disdain for technical education that contributed to the NEETs explosion on their watch. We’ve always said our pledge focuses on shortage subjects, including the vocational skills the Tories neglected.”
Top line: There are fewer teachers in schools…
Former leader of the SNP in Westminster Ian Blackford told Times Radio why he believes Nicola Sturgeon’s claim that she spent no time in the kitchen and therefore didn’t see any of her husband’s purchases:
“She doesn’t have a passion for cooking.”