The UK teacher recruitment crisis is receding: the number of interns and teaching staff has increased

According to the Minister of Education, these positive trends indicate that the government has "turned the tide" in attracting new staff to schools.

According to the latest data, the number of applicants accepted for postgraduate Primary Teacher Training (PGITT) courses in September increased by 8 percent to 18,309 this year, compared with 16,950 at the same stage last year. A particularly noticeable increase is observed in the field of teaching in secondary schools, where the number of interns increased by almost 12 percent, with an increase in almost all subjects, with the exception of English and classics.

A key factor contributing to the positive changes was the increase in the number of applicants from England, which indicates an increased attractiveness of the teaching profession for the citizens of the country.

Of particular note is the significant increase in the number of interns in STEM disciplines (natural sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics), with an increase of almost 50 percent in computing and physics. Despite the fact that the increase in the number of trainee primary school teachers was less significant (2.4%), experts note a positive trend and predict further improvement in the situation.

According to Jack Worth, an education economist at the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), the positive trends may be related to several factors, including retention payments, which "became commonplace and served as an incentive for recruitment," a cooling labor market and a 5.5-fold increase in government wages last year.

Amid the positive developments, the government announced a reduction in recruitment targets for next year by 19 percent, which means a reduction in the number of required secondary school teachers by almost 6,500 people. This decision is due to increased enrollment, a "rapid decline" in the number of students, and "more favorable forecasts" regarding teacher retention.

According to the Ministry of Education, modeling shows that over the next three years, 2,500 more teachers are expected to remain in classrooms than previously estimated. However, it should be noted that targets in subjects such as physics, mathematics and chemistry, which have suffered severely from a shortage of applicants in recent years, have also been reduced.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT School Leaders' union, expressed surprise at the cuts, noting that the number of students in secondary schools is expected to grow over the next few years. He stressed the need for additional information on how the new targets were calculated.

Despite some issues, the overall recruitment situation in the UK looks more encouraging than in recent years. This gives hope for the stabilization of the education system and the provision of quality education for all students.