Teacher Recruitment

On Monday, I had the opportunity to meet with Head teachers and representatives from Dartford’s secondary schools in Westminster to hear their views on current education policy.

In Dartford we are extremely fortunate to have a host of secondary schools all offering something different to pupils. Without exception, our secondary schools are growing in strength. We have four excellent grammar schools and academies and community schools that are  leading the way into the future of education. 

Whilst we have excellent schools in Dartford at the moment, it is important that we do not grow complacent.  It is essential that the best candidates are encouraged into becoming teachers and that schools are helped to attract people who wouldn’t otherwise consider teaching as a profession to do so..

Over recent years there has been a chronic shortage of science graduates going into teaching which is a concerns to us all when it comes to delivering a first rate education.  This is why I support the Government’s announcement last week that incentives will be given to those with a specialism in physics to become teachers. 

Education Secretary, Michael Gove has announced a £2m-a-year partnership between the Department for Education and the Institute of Physics (IOP) to attract the best graduates to become physics teachers. I believe that this re-affirms the Government's commitment to recruit the very best graduates into teaching and train them even better, so that standards can rise in schools across the country.

I hope that these incentives will encourage more science graduates to enter the challenging and rewarding career of teaching and to ensure that the best people possible are teaching in our schools.