England has witnessed a significant and welcome boost in the number of new teachers entering the profession, with critical subjects like maths and science finally meeting government recruitment targets. New data from the Department for Education (DfE) shows a marked turnaround from the recruitment crises of recent years.
A Dramatic Turnaround in Trainee Numbers
The latest statistics reveal an 11% increase in the total number of teacher trainees this year compared to 2024. This represents the most positive recruitment picture since the period immediately following the pandemic. The government had actually lowered its intake targets due to forecasts of falling student numbers, yet applications surged, particularly for primary school roles.
In a striking contrast, primary teacher recruitment hit 126% of its target this year, a massive leap from the 90% achieved last year. For secondary school teachers, 88% of the target was met, up from just 61% in 2024.
STEM Subjects Lead the Charge
The most encouraging news comes from the vital science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) disciplines. Here, recruitment soared to 107% of the government's goal, a dramatic improvement from a meagre 60% in the previous year.
Delving deeper, maths alone attracted 2,588 trainees, a rise of 16% on the year before. Physics recruitment reached 1,086 trainees, the highest number since comparable records began in the 2014-15 academic year. Even modern foreign languages, a perennially struggling area, saw 93% of its target filled.
Optimism and Cautious Warnings
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson welcomed the figures, stating they were "further evidence of the strong progress in teacher recruitment after years of crisis." She highlighted the growth in STEM subjects as "particularly encouraging as we work to give more children the skills and knowledge to succeed."
This improvement enhances the government's prospects of fulfilling its manifesto pledge to deliver an extra 6,500 teachers for state schools, with over 2,300 additional secondary and special school teachers already recorded for 2024-25.
However, education leaders urged caution. Pepe Di'Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, warned that many schools continue to face staff shortages. "The government cannot afford to rest on their laurels and think that one year of slightly better recruitment can fix such a widespread problem," he said. "We need to see sustained growth over many years. This will require improvements to pay and conditions."
The data also indicated a growing reliance on international talent, with trainees from outside the UK and Europe rising from 6% to 8% of the total. Matt Wrack of the NASUWT teaching union cautioned that proposed immigration reforms could "jeopardise this source of talent" and make future recruitment harder.
