North East sees biggest fall in teacher numbers, DfE data reveals
The North East has seen the biggest decline in the number of teachers in the country, according to the latest DfE School Workforce Census data.
The figures, which refer to the 12 months from November 2016 to November 2017, show a 2.2% drop in the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) teachers in the region. All regions other than the East Midlands saw drops over the same period.
Responding to the news SCHOOLS NorthEast Director, Mike Parker, said:
“Schools in the region have flagged for some time their concerns about teacher numbers declining. SCHOOLS NorthEast has raised these concerns with the Department for Education and we have facilitated teacher focus groups in the region to inform the DfE’s planned strategy on teacher recruitment and retention, particularly in challenging areas.
“SCHOOLS NorthEast has also taken positive action by creating the not-for-profit Jobs in Schools|North East portal – www.jobsinschoolsnortheast.com – which is helping hundreds of schools with their recruitment needs. Our commitment is also to promoting the North East as a teaching destination.”
As explained in the DfE’s School Workforce Census methodology document, the total number of teachers in schools will not sum to the LA, region or national total. This is because the LA and region totals include those employed directly by LAs and the national totals include estimates for missing schools.