The teacher recruitment crisis is creating a barrier to recovery from the pandemic, Ofsted has warned, Schools Week reports.
The inspectorate’s annual report said that the resilience of schools is now being tested further by the energy crisis and cost of living pressures, and the problems with recruitment and retention need to be “urgently addressed.”
Amanda Spielman, Ofsted’s chief inspector, said: “It’s clear that in education – and in children’s social care – staffing issues are compounding problems standing in the way of a full recovery.
“It’s vital that education and social care providers are able to recruit, train and retain talented and capable people.”
The report comes as official figures show that just 59 per cent of the required new teachers were recruited this year.
The report, which covers 2021-22, highlights a number of issues that were either “created or exacerbated” by workforce and resourcing challenges.
Pupils with the most complex needs were often the least well served, the report said, with support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) under even greater strain during the pandemic.
Children are also losing out on sports, drama, music and other enrichment activities, as schools continue to experience staff absence due to Covid.
