Teacher shortages and rising pupil numbers will create 'a perfect storm' for schools in England, a head teacher has warned. Allan Foulds of Cheltenham Bournside School told the Conservative Party conference that the crisis would harm children's education and impair efforts to raise standards.
Mr Foulds, president of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said the system was near 'breaking point'. He warned that schools could be forced to drop courses and increase class sizes, jeopardising progress made in raising standards.
The number of pupils under 16 is set to rise by 615,000 to 7.85 million by 2020, while the pool of graduates is expected to shrink due to a fall in the birth rate in the late 1990s. The economic upturn also makes teaching less attractive, according to ASCL.
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan acknowledged the challenge, stating that the government is focused on attracting more top graduates into the profession. She highlighted increased recruitment numbers and generous bursaries of up to £30,000 for core subjects.
However, Mr Foulds argued that recruitment levels are too low and non-specialists are already teaching core subjects like maths and English. He said the most disadvantaged children would be worst affected, undermining efforts to close the attainment gap.
Labour's shadow education secretary Lucy Powell blamed the government for a 'chronic shortage' of teachers, citing falling applications and the highest number of teachers quitting in a decade. The Department for Education defended its recruitment campaign and initiatives like School Direct and Teach First.
