Category: Further Education in England

Summary:

This summary report synthesises findings across early years, school support staff, FE teachers, and school teachers. It identifies shared challenges including pay competitiveness and career progression, with FE teacher pay highlighted as having fallen rapidly in recent years....
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Summary:

The official government pledge to expand flexible working and confirmed the continuation of the Teacher Mentoring Programme (TMP) to support 1,800 FE early-career teachers by March 2025....
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Summary:

This mixed-methods research, investigates barriers to recruiting and retaining FE teachers in Construction, Engineering, and Digital subjects. It finds that pay disparities with industry and schools, high workload centered on administrative tasks, limited pay progression, and inadequate support for new recruits are key factors undermining FE teacher supply....
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Summary:

Provides data on FE workforce size, composition, and vacancies. Shows stable workforce numbers but continued recruitment challenges....
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Summary:

This report identifies a critical crisis in teacher supply, noting that FE and secondary education are the hardest-hit sectors due to pay disparities and increasing workload. It calls for a more holistic workforce model that specifically addresses the unique challenges of the post-16 sector, including the need for better data...
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Summary:

This paper analyzes the evolving and often contested concept of professionalism within the UK Further Education (FE) sector following the structural changes introduced by the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act. address. It argues that, despite decades of policy reform, teacher recruitment and retention as a contextual challenge linked to...
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Summary:

It analyses global strategies for addressing chronic teacher recruitment and retention shortages within the further education sector, focusing on improving workload management and professional status. Key solutions include shifting from short-term fixes to long-term systemic reforms, such as enhancing pay parity and fostering collaborative professional development....
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Summary:

This book examines the systemic crisis in the English teaching sector across all age phases, arguing that the COVID-19 pandemic amplified long-standing issues such as excessive performance management and poor staff mental health. Based on teacher and leader experiences, the authors suggest a new policy to better support and retain...
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Summary:

Highlights the impact of funding constraints and pay gaps on recruitment and retention. Argues financial investment is key to sustaining the workforce....
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Summary:

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) report highlights a critical recruitment and retention crisis in the further education sector, particularly for technical and vocational roles. It advocates for a national workforce strategy that supports "dual professionals" by scaling successful initiatives and enhancing career-long support to ensure a resilient, future-ready education...
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