PUPILS will benefit from more teachers next year, the Government claims, as new figures published today show record numbers of people are training to teach in vital subjects including physics and computing.
But some say many teachers don’t last long in the profession once they realise that school funding is “on its knees” and the hours brutal — and that “these record numbers mean nothing if people are running away from AI redundancy rather than running towards children”.
The latest Initial Teacher Training (ITT) census data shows strong growth in trainee numbers, with over 32,000 talented individuals choosing teaching as a career choice – a rise of 11% on last year – and government exceeding its target on recruitment of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) teachers for the first time since it was introduced in 2019.
Physics trainees are up 36%, computing up 44%, and maths up by 16%. In total, the data shows an increase of 21% in STEM subjects – exceeding the trainee target – with 6,700 new entrants.
This, the government says, means more children will have access to high-quality, specialist teachers, helping to deliver on its manifesto commitment to recruit and retain 6,500 additional teachers by the end of this Parliament.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said: “I know first-hand the difference great teachers make – they opened up the world to me, and they do the same for children every single day.
“Today’s figures are further evidence of the strong progress in teacher recruitment after years of crisis, with growth in critical STEM subjects particularly encouraging as we work to give more children the skills and knowledge to succeed.
“It means more young people getting the expert teaching they deserve, learning from teachers who love their subject and know how to bring it alive in the classroom.”
But some said the surge in teacher numbers may reflect deeper problems in the economy, such as a brutal fiscal climate, rising private sector unemployment and AI replacing jobs.
Rohit Parmar-Mistry, Founder and AI expert at Burton-on-Trent-based Pattrn Data, said: “Let’s cut through the government’s victory lap. A 44% surge in computing trainees isn’t a sudden burst of altruism, it’s a flight to safety.
“I’ve spent over a decade in corporate tech and automation, and right now, the private sector is shedding skin. The ‘learn to code’ gold rush is over.
“Between the AI hype machine promising to replace developers and a brutal fiscal climate crushing SMEs, technical talent is running for the shelter of the public sector. This isn’t a recruitment triumph; it’s an economic symptom.
“For years, schools couldn’t compete with tech salaries. Now? The stability of a teacher’s pension looks far more attractive than a volatile start-up role or a corporate gig where you’re one algorithm away from redundancy.
“The silver lining? If these are genuine industry experts, they might teach kids how technology actually works, messy, complex and human-centric. But let’s be honest: they’re here because the market is broken, not because the government cracked the code.”
Colette Mason, Author & AI Consultant at London-based Clever Clogs AI, was equally sceptical: “Record numbers mean nothing if these people are running from AI redundancy rather than running towards children. We need teachers who chose the classroom, not those who had nowhere else to go.
“The computing surge should alarm us. Are these refugees from tech layoffs or committed educators? Without proper support, pay, and conditions, we’ll watch them leave as quickly as they arrived.
“This isn’t recruitment success until we see retention figures in three years and an improvement in pupil attainment.”
Kate Underwood, Founder at Southampton-based Kate Underwood HR and Training, welcomed the news but also said it may reflect deeper problems in the economy: “On the face of it, this looks like a win for kids. More STEM teachers is definitely good news.
“But let’s be honest. Some of this surge is not just a sudden urge to inspire Year 9. It is people chewed up by corporates, tech layoffs, AI and a brutal small business climate.
“More people are looking at teaching and are thinking, steady salary, clear holidays, purpose, yes please.
“This data is also a hint that life outside the classroom has become so chaotic that 30 teenagers now feel like the safer option.”
Ben Perks, Managing Director at Stourbridge-based Orchard Financial Advisers, was encouraged to see so many people entering the teaching profession, but, in his experience, says many won’t stay there long.
He said: “It’s great that there is an influx of people that want to teach. However, many of the teachers I know are trying to exit the industry and staff turnover in local schools is high.
“Perhaps this enthusiasm to teach dwindles when they realise that school funding is on its knees, the workload on teachers is unrealistic, the hours aren’t as advertised and your average teenager is an arse that won’t listen.”
