- Aspiring teachers in Portsmouth will be supported into the profession with bursaries and scholarships worth up to £31,000 tax free on offer to train to teach as Labour continues push to get more excellent teachers into classrooms
- Package will build on the significant progress made already to deliver on the government’s pledge to recruit and retain 6,500 additional teachers, after over 220 more teachers were recruited in the South East over the last year
- Getting more expert subject teachers in classrooms is part of Labour’s Plan for Change to drive up standards in across Portsmouth schools so every young person can achieve and thrive
Talented people in Portsmouth with the potential to become brilliant teachers are being offered bursaries and scholarships worth up to £31,000 to train to teach in subjects including chemistry, maths, physics, and computing that will help boost outcomes for local young people.
Labour has made tangible progress to fix the foundations of education through its Plan for Change – attendance is up, with over five million fewer days of absence this year compared to last, and teacher recruitment and retention is also up, with over 2,300 more teachers in secondary and special schools across England.
In the South East of England, over 220 more teachers were recruited to local secondary schools.
In particular, the Labour government has seen an increase in those training in Physics and Computing up by 33 per cent and 42 per cent, alongside languages and maths up by around 15 per cent compared to last year.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“In our first year in government, Labour has worked to fix the foundations of our education system by getting more children back into our classrooms and more expert teachers at the front of them.
“That’s meant really good results here in Portsmouth and the South East with over 200 more teachers recruited in the area, as well as more special school teachers and students taking postgraduate training to become teachers.
“While the Tories and Reform have one education policy – cutting state school budgets to restore private schools’ tax breaks – Labour is focused on supporting every child in Portsmouth to achieve and thrive.”
As part of today’s package, bursaries for teacher trainees in further education will also be available, with £31,000 for those teaching in key shortage STEM subjects, £15,000 for SEND-specialist trainees and £10,000 for those training to teach English.
This reflects the importance that Labour places on supporting colleges and other FE institutions to train and recruit high-quality teachers.
The Labour government is also offering schools up to £29,000 to cover the cost of training apprentices in mathematics, chemistry, physics, computing, and modern foreign languages, meaning apprentices pay nothing for their training and will earn a salary while they are training before moving on to a qualified teacher salary.
Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, said:
“Inspirational teachers changed my life and change the lives of millions of children every day – this government is determined that we have more brilliant teachers, in more schools, improving the life chances of more children and young people.
“Through our Plan for Change we’ve already begun to move the dial, with more teachers in our schools this year than last, and big increases in people accepting teaching training places in subjects including chemistry, physics, and maths.
“But there is more to do, and we need talented people with the passion and drive to inspire the next generation – working their magic, making school a place pupils want to be, boosting outcomes and transforming the lives of our young people.”
The Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship, another popular route into teaching, has also seen a 58 per cent growth over the past few years, offering a brilliant way for people to gain the hands-on skills and experience they need in the classroom from day one to become expert teachers and build a successful career in teaching.
Getting more exceptional teachers in front of every classroom with a passion to inspire the next generation will drive high and standards in schools, boost outcomes for every young person, so no child is left behind.
Recent data shows that more than one in ten maths lessons in the last year was taught by a non-specialist teacher, whilst only 72.2 per cent of physics lessons were taught by a teacher with a relevant post A-level qualification.
Funding announced today will make sure that children and young people have high-quality, specialist teachers in these key shortage subjects.
