§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research his Department has undertaken into the reasons for which teachers are leaving the profession. [143939]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 8 January 2001]: More teachers are entering than leaving the profession. There were 7,500 more teachers in England and Wales in January 2000 than in January 1998. The Teacher Training Agency nevertheless contributed to the costs of a study by the University of North London on teacher supply and retention in London. This included surveying those leaving teaching posts in six London boroughs in 1998–99, including those moving into other teaching jobs.
The most commonly cited reasons for leaving were school management, hours worked, pupil behaviour, lack of opportunities for promotion and school resources. We are addressing these and other issues raised, including through new professional development opportunities for headteachers and improved support for teachers, for example by the planned recruitment of 20,000 full-time (or equivalent) extra teaching assistants by 2002. A total of £174 million was allocated to local authorities on 3 January to help reduce truancy and indiscipline, and funding per pupil will have increased by over £450 in real terms between 1997–98 and 2001–02.