Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an estimate of how many newly qualified teachers work abroad because of (a) pay and (b) working conditions.

The department does not collect data on teachers teaching outside England.

One of the department’s top priorities is to ensure that we continue to attract, retain and develop the highly skilled teachers we need to inspire the next generation.

On 13 July 2023, the department announced that we are accepting the School Teachers Review Body’s (STRB) recommendations for the 2023/24 pay award for teachers and headteachers. This means that teachers and leaders in maintained schools received the highest pay award in over thirty years and it delivers our manifesto commitment of at least a £30,000 starting salary for school teachers in all regions of the country.

The department has created an entitlement to at least three years of structured training, support and professional development for all new teachers underpinned by the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework and the Early Career Framework Together, these ensure that new teachers will benefit from at least three years of evidence-based training, across ITT and into their induction.

The department has also launched a new and updated suite of National Professional Qualifications for teachers and headteachers at all levels, from those who want to develop expertise in high-quality teaching practice to those leading multiple schools across trusts.

There are now over 468,000 full time equivalent (FTE) teachers in state funded schools in England, which is an increase of 27,000 (6%) since 2010. This makes it the highest FTE of teachers since the School Workforce Census began in 2010.

The department’s reforms are aimed not only at increasing teacher recruitment through an attractive pay offer and financial incentives such as bursaries, but also at ensuring teachers stay and thrive in the profession.