Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many (1) primary, and (2) secondary, school teachers have left the profession in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information on the state-funded school workforce in England, including the number of qualified teachers who leave service each year and the number of teachers who retire, is published in the âSchool workforce in Englandâ statistical publication, available on GOV.UK.
The closest measure available for teachers leaving the profession is the number of qualified teachers leaving service in the state-funded school sector in England.
The department does not hold information on the number of teachers taking early retirement. However, information is available on teachers and former teachers who first received Teachers' Pension Scheme benefits before normal retirement age, including actuarially reduced, ill-health and premature retirement benefits. School workforce data are published on an academic year basis, while Teachers' Pension Scheme awards are recorded on a financial year basis.
The information requested is provided below.
Full-time equivalent number of qualified teachers leaving the state-funded school sector each year, by phase
Academic year | Primary schools | Secondary schools |
2024/25 | 17,953 | 17,477 |
2023/24 | 19,078 | 18,370 |
2022/23 | 20,298 | 19,124 |
2021/22 | 20,743 | 18,948 |
2020/21 | 17,059 | 15,528 |
Notes: Includes those leaving the state-funded sector in England due to a change of career, joining other UK education sectors, retirement and those who died. Primary includes Nursery schools.
Source: School Workforce Census
Headcount number of teachers and former teachers who first received Teachers' Pension Scheme benefits (excluding normal age retirement), by phase
Financial year | Primary schools | Secondary schools |
2025-26 | 792 | 953 |
2024-25 | 694 | 800 |
2023-24 | 574 | 764 |
2022-23 | 903 | 1,086 |
2021-22 | 1,435 | 1,700 |
Notes: Includes actuarially reduced age retirements, ill-health retirements and premature retirements. Awards relating to normal age retirement have been excluded. These benefits may be awarded during service or after the teacher has left service. The number of awards may be revised for each past year as late applications for pension benefits are processed. Therefore, these figures differ to figures presented of leavers due to retirement.
Source: Teacher Pension Scheme
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many (1) primary, and (2) secondary, school teachers have taken early retirement in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information on the state-funded school workforce in England, including the number of qualified teachers who leave service each year and the number of teachers who retire, is published in the âSchool workforce in Englandâ statistical publication, available on GOV.UK.
The closest measure available for teachers leaving the profession is the number of qualified teachers leaving service in the state-funded school sector in England.
The department does not hold information on the number of teachers taking early retirement. However, information is available on teachers and former teachers who first received Teachers' Pension Scheme benefits before normal retirement age, including actuarially reduced, ill-health and premature retirement benefits. School workforce data are published on an academic year basis, while Teachers' Pension Scheme awards are recorded on a financial year basis.
The information requested is provided below.
Full-time equivalent number of qualified teachers leaving the state-funded school sector each year, by phase
Academic year | Primary schools | Secondary schools |
2024/25 | 17,953 | 17,477 |
2023/24 | 19,078 | 18,370 |
2022/23 | 20,298 | 19,124 |
2021/22 | 20,743 | 18,948 |
2020/21 | 17,059 | 15,528 |
Notes: Includes those leaving the state-funded sector in England due to a change of career, joining other UK education sectors, retirement and those who died. Primary includes Nursery schools.
Source: School Workforce Census
Headcount number of teachers and former teachers who first received Teachers' Pension Scheme benefits (excluding normal age retirement), by phase
Financial year | Primary schools | Secondary schools |
2025-26 | 792 | 953 |
2024-25 | 694 | 800 |
2023-24 | 574 | 764 |
2022-23 | 903 | 1,086 |
2021-22 | 1,435 | 1,700 |
Notes: Includes actuarially reduced age retirements, ill-health retirements and premature retirements. Awards relating to normal age retirement have been excluded. These benefits may be awarded during service or after the teacher has left service. The number of awards may be revised for each past year as late applications for pension benefits are processed. Therefore, these figures differ to figures presented of leavers due to retirement.
Source: Teacher Pension Scheme
Asked by: Baroness Cash (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect on trainee quality of the removal of the statutory requirement for 20 hours of mentor training for initial teacher training mentors.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Effective mentoring is critical to high-quality initial teacher training (ITT) and the trainee experience. Trainees remain entitled to 1.5 hours of dedicated weekly mentor support during placements.
Following feedback from schools and ITT providers, the department removed the minimum 20-hour initial mentor training requirements in November 2024, giving schools and providers greater flexibility where mentors have relevant prior learning, avoiding unnecessary repetition of training.
The change did not remove providersâ duty to ensure mentors receive sufficient high-quality training on the mentor role, the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework and the trainee curriculum. These requirements are set out in the ITT criteria.
Ofsted inspects accredited ITT providers and independently evaluates training quality. To achieve the expected standard, trainees must benefit from high-quality mentoring that meets all entitlements and mandatory requirements. The department continues to monitor inspection outcomes to assess the effectiveness of the ITT quality requirements, including mentoring.
Asked by: Baroness Cash (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether Ofstedâs initial teacher education inspection framework takes account of the effectiveness of a providerâs academic appointment processes and research integrity arrangements; and if not, whether they will ask Ofsted to consider doing so.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Ofstedâs initial teacher education inspection framework provides an independent evaluation of the effectiveness of initial teacher education providers. Inspections consider the quality of education and training, leadership, governance and compliance with the departmentâs initial teacher training criteria.
The framework does not specifically assess a providerâs processes for appointing academic staff or its research integrity arrangements and there are no plans to change this. Universities are autonomous institutions and are responsible for their own staffing and research governance arrangements, subject to the relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to equip young people with the skills needed to adapt to changes in the labour market arising from artificial intelligence.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Artificial intelligence (AI) is creating new opportunities, while also changing how young people enter work and develop their careers.
The department is equipping young people with the knowledge and skills for a changing labour market, including through reforms to the curriculum and post-16 qualifications. This includes a greater emphasis on oracy, stronger digital and media literacy, and clearer pathways into further study, training and high-quality careers. We have also announced plans for new high-quality Vocational GCSEs for 14 to 16-year-olds, supporting progression into A levels, T Levels, V levels, apprenticeships and other post-16 routes and helping ensure students have the skills for the jobs of the future. V levels and T Levels have employer-informed content and can respond to technological and labour-market change, including AI.
The Early Careers Jobs Alliance brings together government, employers, trade unions and young people to outline how entry-level work is changing and produce practical support for businessesâ entry level pathways. Skills England is working with employers and providers to identify future skills needs, while the AI Economics Institute is improving understanding of AIâs impact on jobs and skills needs.
The government is also supporting young people to develop AI and technology skills directly, including through TechFirst, our flagship programme to expand pathways into the tech sector. In addition, more than ÂŁ6 billion of recent AI investment is expected to create around 8,000 UK jobs, giving young people opportunities to apply and develop these skills.
Asked by: Lord Walker of Broxton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of children who do not receive free school meals they are entitled to; and what steps they are taking to ensure that all eligible children receive free school meals.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. From September 2026, eligibility for free school meals (FSMs) was extended to all children in households receiving Universal Credit, providing over half a million additional children with access to a free, nutritious lunchtime meal. The department recognises the vital role played by FSMs and encourages all eligible families to claim the support to which they are entitled.
The department has upgraded the Eligibility Checking System, making it easier to identify children who are eligible for FSMs. We have also worked closely across government, including with the Department for Work and Pensions, as well as with schools and local authorities, to support implementation and awareness of the expanded entitlement.
The department does not routinely assess the number of children who are entitled to FSMs but do not receive them.
The department will continue to monitor take-up of FSMs following implementation of the expansion, including through the school census.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have decided on an approach to Sharia-compliant university student financing.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is committed to introducing an Alternative Student Finance (ASF) product compatible with Islamic finance principles and continues to make progress towards its delivery.
ASF will be introduced as soon as possible following the introduction of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement and will mirror the mainstream student finance offer, requiring the same repayments to the scheme as those required for conventional loans.
To ensure compliance with Islamic finance principles, the ASF product will be based on the principle of mutual support, where participants contribute to a shared fund which will then be used to support others accessing the scheme. Before the launch, the product will also be certified as compliant with Islamic finance principles by an independent board of Islamic finance experts.
Further information on the approach to ASF is available on the GOV.UK website.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what comparative data they hold on the Ofsted outcomes of Catholic primary and secondary schools operating as Voluntary Aided schools and those operating as academies within Catholic Multi-Academy Trusts in each of the past five years.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This is a matter for His Majestyâs Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked Sir Martyn Oliver to write directly to the noble Lord, Lord Alton of Liverpool, and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the readability of part one of Keeping children safe in education, published on 1 September, so that it is accessible to all those who are required to read it.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department aims to ensure that all guidance is accessible and usable for all those required to read it.
The department will continue to consider opportunities to improve the accessibility and readability of âKeeping children safe in educationâ as part of our ongoing review of the guidance.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their policy regarding the structural conversion of maintained schools to academy status where conversion is directed or mandated by a diocesan authority rather than initiated by a schoolâs governing body.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government recognises that faith schools operate within governance arrangements that require the consent of the relevant foundation, trustees or religious authority to voluntarily join an academy trust. However, under the Academies Act 2010, a voluntary application for academy status is made by the school's governing body.
The governing body must consult appropriately before conversion takes place. The department publishes guidance for schools about academy conversion which explains the statutory requirements around consultation.
The department has not conducted a specific comparative assessment of the financial resilience, per-pupil funding allocations, administrative overheads or academic performance of voluntary aided Catholic schools and Catholic schools within Catholic multi-academy trusts.
Academy trusts are required to publish annual accounts and the latest published data shows that 96% of academy trusts are operating with a cumulative surplus. Multi-academy trusts can realise efficiencies through economies of scale when delivering services across a group of schools.
Information on school and academy performance is published annually and is available through the department's performance data publications.