England is facing a deepening teacher recruitment and retention crisis, and a new report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has laid bare the scale of the problem. Despite a high-profile pledge to recruit 6,500 new teachers by 2029, MPs say the Department for Education (DfE) is lacking a coherent plan to actually deliver it. There are no clear milestones, no costed delivery strategy, and no clarity on who is accountable for hitting the target. In short, it’s a mission with no map.
The situation in the FE sector is even more stark. While the government’s recruitment promise focuses on 6,500 new FE teachers, colleges may actually require between 8,400 and 12,400 new staff by 2028–29 to meet demand. That’s nearly double the target, and without urgent action, it risks undermining the government’s wider goals around skills, social mobility, and economic growth.
Some of the hardest-hit subjects include computer science and physics. In fact, nearly a third of disadvantaged schools are currently unable to offer A-level computer science. Not because of lack of interest from students, but simply because there aren’t enough qualified teachers available. This shortfall is especially severe in areas with high levels of deprivation, where teacher recruitment and retention are already more difficult.
Why are so many teachers leaving? According to the PAC, poor working conditions, excessive workloads, and rising concerns about pupil behaviour are driving talented professionals out of the classroom. In the last year alone, 44% of departing teachers cited behaviour issues as a contributing factor (a steep rise from 32% the year before). Yet despite these challenges, only 17% of schools and colleges have signed up to the DfE’s own wellbeing charter.
There’s also growing frustration around the Department’s spending decisions. The DfE has spent approximately £700 million on various teacher recruitment and retention initiatives (not including pay or pensions), but MPs say there’s little evidence to show what’s working and what isn’t. Initiatives like pay enhancements, Early Career Frameworks, and flexible contracts might help on paper, but without proper evaluation, it’s unclear whether they’re delivering meaningful impact.
One major issue flagged by both Sky News and FE Week coverage is pay disparity. FE teachers typically earn around £9,000 less than their school-based counterparts, and as much as £11,000 less than similar roles in industry. This gap not only affects morale, but also makes it harder to attract and retain the skilled professionals needed to teach technical and vocational subjects... especially in sectors like construction, engineering, and IT.
So what happens next? The PAC is calling for a clear roadmap from the DfE: one that defines the baseline for staffing needs, outlines measurable goals, and ensures regular reporting across both schools and FE colleges. It also urges the Department to rigorously assess which initiatives are offering value for money and to prioritise those that genuinely help recruit and retain staff. That might mean expanding flexible working options, providing more behavioural and attendance support, and ensuring that teacher wellbeing isn’t just a footnote in policy.
The message from MPs is clear: without urgent, strategic action, teacher shortages will continue to erode educational outcomes, widen inequality, and stall progress on key government missions. For those working within the further education sector, the need for clarity, investment, and accountability has never been more urgent.