Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

STEM Teachers in Disadvantaged Areas

Monday 24 October 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • STEM teacher numbers increased by more than 4,400 full-time positions in state-funded schools in England during 2020-21.
  • Since 2010, over 9,000 homes have been delivered in Cornwall as part of housing initiatives.
  • The Government has committed to honouring a manifesto pledge for a 30,000 a year starting salary for teachers at the next independent pay review.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sheryll Murray Con
Education Science & Technology
Context

The MP is concerned about the shortage of science, technology, engineering and mathematics teachers working in underprivileged communities.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to attract science, technology, engineering and mathematics teachers to work in disadvantaged areas?

Answer from Jonathan Gullis

In 2020-21 there was an increase of more than 4,400 full-time teachers in state-funded schools in England. This has resulted in the largest qualified teacher stock since the school workforce census began in 2011. Early career maths, physics, chemistry and computing teachers working in eligible schools with disadvantaged pupil cohorts can now claim our tax-free levelling up premium.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures to attract STEM teachers to disadvantaged areas were not detailed beyond the general increase in full-time teachers.

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Q2 Sheryll Murray Con
Education Housing
Context

Cornwall's high housing costs are seen as a barrier to attracting teachers.

Question

What more can the Department do to encourage teachers to come to Cornwall and not to other places with cheaper housing?

Answer from Jonathan Gullis

Since 2010, more than 9,000 homes have been delivered in Cornwall. In August 2021 we announced £1 billion of funding from our affordable homes programme, which will be used to deliver more than 17,000 affordable homes across the south-west. Twenty-six schools in Cornwall are eligible for the levelling up premium, including Liskeard School and Community College in the MP's constituency.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures addressing high housing costs for teachers were not provided beyond mentioning funding for affordable homes across a wider region.

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Q3 Meg Hillier Labour (Co-op) Hackney South and Shoreditch
Education
Context

The Government promised a £30,000 starting salary for teachers in their manifesto.

Question

How close are the Government to reaching that manifesto commitment?

Answer from Jonathan Gullis

I have asked for this Government's manifesto commitment to a £30,000 a year starting salary to be honoured for 2023-24 at the next independent pay review.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The exact status of reaching the manifest goal was not detailed beyond requesting it during the next pay review.

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