Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will work with the Department for Education to draw up and enact an action plan to recruit and retain more male teachers in primary schools.

We value diversity in the workforce but want the most talented people in the classroom, regardless of their gender. Evidence shows that the quality of teaching is the single most important factor in determining how well pupils achieve.

Recent figures show that between 2011/12 and 2015/16 the number of male primary teachers (FTE) has increased from 28,000 to 33,400. As a percentage, this has increased from 14.1% in 2011 to 15.3% in 2015.

The proportion of male entrants to primary postgraduate initial teacher training has remained broadly stable since 2010/11.

There is more to do, and we have a range of measures in place to attract and retain excellent teachers, no matter what their gender, including:

• Offering a range of bursaries and scholarships worth up to £30,000 tax free to trainees in 2016/17.

• Introducing pay flexibilities and putting schools in charge of teacher training through School Direct.

• Expanding Teach First into every region of the country.

• Supporting schools to retain good teachers by making significant policy interventions in areas such as improving pupil behaviour and tackling unnecessary workload for teachers.

  It is the responsibility of schools and employers to comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. Guidance for schools on the Act is available online.