Teaching Vacancies (Hansard, 24 November 2000)

§ Ms Estelle Morris

As a result of the Government's policies, more teachers are now working in English schools than for a decade. A sample survey undertaken by my Department in September suggested that the national teacher vacancy rate remained below 1 per cent. the same as in January. However, we recognise that there is difficulty in some subjects and in some parts of the country, and that more needs to be done if schools are to be able to recruit all of the staff that they need.

That is why current plans provide for over £0.5 billion to be spent on teacher recruitment between this year and 2003–04. The £6,000 training salaries for postgraduates and enhanced Golden Hellos for shortage subject teachers announced on 30 March have led to the first rise in the number of people registering for teacher training since 1992–93. 2,000 more teachers have applied this last year. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has also announced funding to more than double the number of employment-based graduate trainees working in schools in 2000–01. In addition to a £4,000 grant to cover training costs, £13,000 in a full year is being paid to schools from 1 September in respect of each of these trainees in order to allow them to be employed as supernumeraries. A special assistance package for teacher recruitment in London was also announced in August.