𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Labour was accused of breaking its general election promise to recruit more teachers, as official figures showed the total number has actually fallen. Labour’s general election manifesto included a promise to “recruit 6,500 new expert teachers in key subjects”. However official figures today showed the total number of teachers in England is down by 1,900 compared to 2024. It comes after the party launched a tax raid against the country’s private schools, which saw VAT charged on fees for the first time.

New data showed that thousands of teachers are leaving the profession, with the number choosing to take up the role dropping. Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott MP told the Daily Express the figures represent “another broken promise” by Labour. She blamed the government’s decision to tax education, which she said had served to “pile more pressure on state schools.”

“Labour claimed that taxing education would boost teacher numbers in state schools,” she said.

Instead “teacher numbers have fallen” with children now facing “disruption of school closures and mid-year transfers.”

Ms Trott also warned that demand for teachers would “only grow as more SEND pupils are educated in mainstream settings.”

Teaching union bosses also rounded on the figures but warned they represented a “crossroads” for the government and “an opportunity to drastically improve children’s opportunities.”

Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU) said this could be done by increasing the staffing levels of schools and reducing class sizes.

He branded the reduction in teacher numbers as “a mockery of the Government’s promise of 6,500 extra teachers.

The number of newly qualified teachers stepping into the profession were also “the lowest since records began 30 years ago” he raged.

New data does however reveal that the number of teaching assistants has risen by some 6,200, and that there stands around a 0.4% vacancy rate across the sector.

However, the number of teachers is up by 4,654 if only secondary schools, special schools and further education colleges are included, and Labour said this meant it was on course to meet its pledge. The Department for Education said the Government is “rebalancing and targeting investment where it is needed most”.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “We’re making real progress where it’s needed most: over two thirds of our pledge to recruit 6,500 additional teachers has already been met, fewer teachers are leaving the profession than at any point on record, and more are choosing to build long, rewarding careers in teaching.

“But we know there is more to do. We will keep working to make teaching the valued, well-rewarded profession it ought to be — so that every child, whatever their background or need, has the brilliant teacher they deserve.”