We are very concerned by the announcement that prospective teachers of English will not receive a bursary to train next year.
Despite a slight uptick in English student teacher recruitment in 2024-25, there remains a grave shortage of English teachers nationally, especially since it takes 10 newly qualified teachers to replace every 7 more experienced teachers who leave teaching. English trainees – and others in the Arts – will get no financial support, while those training to teach STEM subjects will gain a tax-free bursary of £29,000; and Design & Technology and Languages trainees will get £20,000. This not only devalues subject English in comparison – despite the enormous contribution of English to the UK’s productivity – but sends a message to potential English teachers that their qualifications, commitment, skills and enthusiasm lack value too. The impact will also be felt by both university and school-based Initial Teacher Education programmes, who are likely to under-recruit English trainees, with serious knock-on effects for the viability of PGCE courses generally.
With thanks to Dr Lorna Smith, trustee of the English Association
