GCSE students in Portsmouth are the least likely in the England to be taught by a teacher with a relevant degree, a new analysis by the Education Policy Institute shows.
14-16 year olds in Portsmouth are among the unlucky students of just two English councils where less than 30 per cent of teachers in high-priority subjects have a relevant degree – the other being Hampshire.
The report also showed that access to specialist teachers tends to be highest in London and the counties surrounding the capital.
MP for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan, has said the analysis by the EPI reflects how his city has been ignored by the Conservatives when it comes to funding for local young people.
Portsmouth’s schools will have lost over £3million under this Government by 2019 as class sizes continue to grow.
Earlier this year Mr Morgan raised serious concerns over school cuts with Theresa May at Prime Minister’s Question Time.
Stephen Morgan MP, said:
“We’re fortunate to have a number of really talented teachers in Portsmouth. But it’s shocking that teens in our city have to struggle through their GCSEs with teachers who’ve not got a relevant degree. It’s not fair on our youngsters and it’s not fair on our educators either.
Once again we see Portsmouth kids losing out to those in London and the home counties, and the rest of the country. I’ll keep standing up and speaking out as MP to ensure our city can’t be ignored any longer.
The Tories have overseen a crisis in teacher recruitment and retention. Fewer people are training to join the profession, and teachers are leaving our schools in record numbers. They’ve been forced out by a government that has slashed their pay by thousands of pounds.
The next Labour government will end this crisis, investing in our schools to support teachers and providing ring-fenced funding. We’ll give our teachers the pay rise they deserve.”
