The Chartered College of Teaching has commented on an announcement by the Department for Education to support teacher recruitment. Under the plans, teachers and school leaders will be able to access free National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) to “ensure they have the skills needed to support young people to catch up and thrive following the impact of the pandemic.”

Dame Alison Peacock – CEO of the Chartered College – commented:

We welcome the steps to encourage more great teachers to join the profession.  Recruitment will not be enough, however. We need to retain these teachers. We need to value teacher expertise and provide colleagues with opportunities to constantly develop and refine knowledge related to their context. Schools and their students have had vastly different experiences during the pandemic; teachers must be supported to maintain adaptability, resilience and intellectual capacity when dealing with the challenges ahead. Whilst access to NPQs is to be welcomed it should be recognised that small schools may not have the budget to release staff for training.