Recruitment, retention and progression problems facing teaching in Wales are serious and will make it difficult for education to make progress, a new report warns.
Findings from the report, ‘A Future Teaching Profession for Wales’, highlighted the challenges the educational system in Wales is facing, including recruitment, the retention of teachers – in particular newly qualified teachers – and the overall appeal of teaching.
Over the last year, researchers from Cardiff Metropolitan University School of Education and Social Policy have surveyed and interviewed undergraduate students, student teachers, teachers, school leaders and key players in the education system in Wales.
David Egan, Professor of Education at Cardiff Met led the report. He said:
“Encouraging people to enter teaching and to remain in the profession inevitably relies on the attractiveness of the job. The voices we listened to were generally negative about the perception and the reality of teaching.
“We spoke with all parties in the Welsh education system and also looked at international research evidence, to consider what we might do to address this challenge.
“Whilst salary levels were mentioned, much more emphasis was placed on excessive workload, a feeling that society no longer valued teachers and the lack of visible career pathways.”
The report also shows how recruitment and retention to primary teaching courses was better than that of secondary school degrees.
In the most recent academic year (2023/24), 62% of teaching courses at secondary schools funded by the Welsh Government weren’t filled and, with a few exceptions, all secondary subject areas failed to reach their allocations, including English (25% recruitment), mathematics (28%) sciences (27%) and Welsh (15%).
David continued:
“The consequence of this under-recruitment leads to many schools facing acute teacher shortages, particularly Welsh-medium schools, those in rural areas and the most socio-economically disadvantaged communities. Headteachers told us that in some cases they have ceased to advertise for teachers in these subject areas and if they recruit at all, they must rely on teachers qualified in other subjects or unqualified teachers.”
The report highlights how some young teachers who qualify choose not to enter the profession, preferring to undertake casual work or opting for roles as supply teachers. Other young teachers deciding to leave teaching in the early years of their career.
Excessive workloads and the impact on teacher wellbeing were also important factors for poor retention. The report notes how teachers were more likely to stay in the profession if they felt supported early in their careers, had opportunities to develop their professional knowledge or were offered flexible working arrangements.
“Currently the situation regarding teacher recruitment, retention and progression in Wales is serious and it is probably getting worse. It will be extremely difficult for education to make progress and for the Welsh Government to achieve its National Mission – which was set to to raise standards and aspirations for all learners – unless these trends can be reversed,” David added.
With funding provided from Welsh Government, researchers from Cardiff Met worked with 19 local authorities across Wales’ education system to collect data highlighted in the report. The findings will now be used to identify what can be done to address the challenges to improve teacher recruitment, retention and progression in Wales.
The report was officially launched at an event at Cardiff Met with Professor Mick Waters, formerly the Director of Curriculum at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, in attendance. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from keynote speakers and join expert panel speakers on the challenges facing the teaching profession in Wales.
