Responding to DfE figures on entrants to initial teacher training in 2025/26, Matt Wrack, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said:
 
“While the rise in the overall number of trainees entering teacher training this year is welcome, recruitment levels for secondary teaching have fallen short yet again, despite a reduction in the target.

“Recruitment targets have been missed in around half of secondary subjects and the reality is that many schools are still struggling to attract the teachers they need.

“Any positive trends in teacher recruitment will not be sustained if the Government fails to offer competitive pay and working conditions which not only attract new recruits to the profession, but encourage teachers to remain in the profession for the long term.

“It is also notable that an increasing number of the new recruits have come from outside of the UK and Europe. The Government’s proposed reforms to the immigration system could jeopardise this source of talent and make recruiting sufficient numbers of new teachers even tougher in the future. Preserving continued opportunities for these skilled and much needed professionals to train and work in the UK will be essential as the reforms are developed.”