The Education Policy Institute’s June 2023 report on teacher recruitment and retention offered a sobering view of the current landscape:
The overall picture is, unfortunately, a fairly gloomy one. More teachers are quitting the profession before retirement and it is becoming harder to recruit to those posts, particularly in secondary schools. Unfortunately, this is now a familiar story after a decade of worsening recruitment and retention problems.
The DfE is alive to the problem and has attempted to tackle it through a wide range of policies, from the early-career framework and bursary payments, through to revamped NPQs for experienced teachers and workload reduction guidance. But, with teachers’ pay falling still further behind that of comparable professions and no end to the industrial disputes in sight, it is hard to see how these measures can make a significant difference to the overall teacher shortfall.
This overview, however, does not break down the number for specific subjects.
In terms of recruitment (in 2023) only 63% of the target for maths teachers was met. The only year in the last decade in which the UK has met its recruitment target for secondary maths teachers was during the 2020-21 academic year, but this one-off increase is justifiably explained by the COVID pandemic. It should be noted also that the shortage is not solely about the quantity, but also the quality of applicants, many of whom are found to lack essential subject knowledge. I have personally interviewed applicants unable to accurately discuss foundational concepts like recurring decimals and linear equations. Colleagues at other schools report similar experiences.
As for those leaving the profession…again it should be noted that the charts below are not subject specific, but there is no obvious reason why maths teacher retention should be a significant outlier.
The increased numbers leaving the profession combined with the shortfall in recruitment, resulted in there being approximately 7500 unfilled teaching vacancies during 2023. I do intend here to drill down into the precise numbers of maths teacher vacancies, as arriving at precise figures does not change the principle of the argument. Instead, it is sufficient to note that recruitment has for an extended period not kept pace with the numbers leaving the profession. This has inevitably led to an increasing number of non-specialists teaching mathematics (at multiple Key Stages) for extended periods, and supply teachers plugging the gaps.
Asking Chat GPT what it assessed would be the consequence of these trends, it proved its wisdom by stating:
These recruitment and retention issues will contribute to an unstable workforce, particularly in maths, where the shortage has implications for student learning and curriculum quality.
Should a Teacher Lead Every Lesson?
In an era of declining budgets, when it is difficult to recruit suitably qualified teachers, should there be a shift to blended learning? This is a question people often feel passionately about, so it is important to clarify the main tenets of the argument.
The Spend On Supply Teaching:
In 2022 – 23, approximately £698m was spent on supply teachers with approximately 38% of this spend coming from secondary schools. This equates to approximately £265.2m across 4,172 secondary institutions, or £64k per institution across all subjects. These significant sums are necessary because there are not enough qualified teachers in circulation, and nor is it possible to quickly address this shortfall. As above, a precise breakdown of these figures by subject/type of school/region etc, is not necessary. The principle is still that at a national level there are significant sums being spent that could be being spent elsewhere.
The real question is not, should every lesson be delivered by a qualified maths teacher? Ideally, this would be the case, but unfortunately, it is not realistic.
Rather the question is, given the shortage of specialists, should schools increase their reliance on educational platforms for some lessons, or continue with current practices?
Non-Specialist Teaching In Maths:
In 2023, the government reported that 14.1% of teaching was delivered by a non-specialist. This is a considerable proportion, and it is likely to be higher in mathematics because it has been for many years a shortage subject.
Can Platform-Led Lessons Be Effective?
A significant proportion of schools now use online platforms for homework assignments, and as a tool for revision. I have visited many schools and seen online platforms used in lessons as a means to consolidate single or multiple topics. It must be the case that schools consider platforms can be used effectively if not to teach, then to consolidate understanding.
How Much Consolidation Is Necessary?
Guidance for Key Stages 3 and 4 mathematics emphasises the importance of pacing and depth in learning rather than the consistent introduction of new material in each lesson. The Department for Education and the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) suggest a balanced approach where consolidation, review, and skill application are integral parts of the learning process. According to recent NCETM guidance, consolidating knowledge and practising problem-solving are just as important as introducing new content, helping to reinforce understanding and build procedural fluency. This needs to be differentiated from the form of consolidation whereby prior knowledge is built into every lesson, but one does not contradict the other. Most teachers likely reading this post will acknowledge the benefits of consolidation lessons, and these can be built into the scheme of work.
The Proposed Solution:
Given the constraints that exist, those schools facing severe teacher shortages need access to a programme of study that would integrate platform led consolidation lessons. These lessons would not need to be delivered by a specialist teacher as the software could adjust in real time to the responses of learners, and crucially they may allow for more classes to experience a structured learning programme, still with regular access to a subject specialist, than might be the case with a traditional timetabling approach. This approach would be more practicable in larger institutions, and certainly those which have the necessary hardware, but teacher shortages are real and innovative solutions are called for. This approach would not replace the teacher, but could offer a strategic, supplemental measure and would also lead to a significant cost reduction. This money could then be diverted to areas where it can have a more lasting impact: capital spend, CPD etc.
Another blog post, coming soon.
George Bowman
Founder, Maths Advance.
MATHS ADVANCE BLOG 
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