Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the letter to <i>The Times</i> of 2 June from 28 former prime ministers and presidents which claims that there is a worldwide decline in the respect paid to and status of teachers.

The research cited, in the letter to The Times, was the Varkey GEMS Global Teacher Status Index, which was published in 2013. The index surveys public opinion on the status of teachers and contained several positive findings in relation to the UK.

For example, teachers’ status was ranked higher in the UK than in many other countries, including France, Finland and Germany. Respect for headteachers in the UK was ranked highest of all the countries in the study. When respondents were asked to assess ‘how good is the education system?’ the UK ranked seventh out of all countries surveyed – a higher score than the USA, South Korea and Germany.

To help raise the status of teaching further still, our manifesto set out our commitment to supporting the establishment of a new, independent College of Teaching. Teaching is unique amongst the professions in this country in not having a membership body to champion high standards of practice.

The recognition of teaching as a respected and high-status profession is reflected in the calibre of those joining. Almost three quarters of new teachers now have an upper-second or first class degree, 10% higher than in 2010. We have a record proportion of new teachers (17%) with first class degrees and, for several years running, teaching has remained the most popular career destination for graduates from Oxford University.

Whilst perceptions of teachers and teaching in this country are positive, the government remains committed to doing all we can to support the profession to develop and improve.