The Government has unveiled a major new funding initiative aimed at addressing the growing crisis in teacher recruitment and retention across England’s schools and colleges. The announcement, made today by the Department for Education, commits more than £160 million to strengthening the teaching workforce and supporting schools to manage upcoming salary increases.
Funding to Support Recruitment and Pay
At the heart of the announcement is a 4% pay rise for teachers, due to take effect from September 2025. The uplift follows recommendations from the independent School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) and is intended to improve retention rates and boost the attractiveness of the profession, particularly in high-need subject areas such as maths, physics and computing.
To help schools and colleges implement the pay rise, the Government will also provide an additional £615 million over two years. This allocation will ensure that educational institutions can afford the new salaries without cutting back on essential resources or staff.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“This government is committed to ensuring that every child has access to excellent teaching. That starts with making sure we can recruit and retain talented teachers. This pay rise, alongside direct support for schools, will help ease the pressure and send a strong signal that we value the profession.”
Focus on Understaffed Areas and Inclusion
The new package forms part of a wider recruitment drive that aims to bring in 6,500 new teachers by the end of the current parliamentary term. Priority will be given to regions facing chronic shortages and to schools serving disadvantaged communities.
In a nod to concerns about diversity in the teaching profession, the Department for Education has confirmed that it will continue supporting initiatives aimed at encouraging candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to enter teaching. Programmes such as the Every Lesson Shapes a Life campaign, which has targeted diverse graduate applicants since its launch in 2023, will receive renewed funding.
Sector Reaction
The move has received a cautious welcome from education unions. Paul Whiteman, General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said:
“The additional funding is necessary and overdue. While it won’t solve all the issues we face, it’s a positive step toward addressing the recruitment and workload pressures that have driven too many experienced teachers out of the classroom.”
However, others have noted that sustained investment is still needed to tackle structural problems in the profession, including high workloads, burnout, and limited progression routes for early career teachers.
Dr Mary Bousted, former Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, commented:
“If we want to build a teaching workforce that reflects modern Britain, we need more than a pay rise. We need reforms that address culture, leadership, and opportunity across the profession.”
What Comes Next
The Department for Education confirmed that detailed guidance on funding distribution will be published in early June, ahead of the summer term. The recruitment campaign will launch nationally in July, backed by digital and university-based outreach.
The Government’s latest teacher workforce data shows that while applications to teacher training rose slightly in 2024, retention beyond the first three years remains a significant challenge, particularly in schools located in low-income areas.
With continued pressure on pupil attainment and the growing complexity of post-pandemic education needs, today’s announcement signals a more interventionist approach by government to stabilise the teaching workforce — and secure long-term educational outcomes for pupils across the country.
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