Drive for more maths teachers doesn’t add up says MP

Graham Stuart, chairman of the Commons education select committee, will today suggest that while reforms of these key subjects are “laudable” there is some need for caution.

The shake-up will fuel demand for science and maths teachers at a time when the supply of these teachers is already under increasing pressure, he says.

Recent figures showed that 560 people were accepted as trainee physics teachers last year, filling 57 per cent of the 990 places available, Mr Stuart says, while there was also a shortfall of over 400 maths teachers.

In a speech to the SCORE annual conference, Mr Stuart, Conservative MP for Beverley and Holderness, is due to say that maths and science (STEM) in schools does need to be improved, and to back Government attempts to improve the situation.

The reforms include overhauling the national curriculum, replacing ICT with computer science and introducing the English Baccalaureate, which focuses on key academic subjects.

“These changes will make children’s STEM education more rigorous and will hopefully help to close the gap in attainment which has opened up between Britain and some of our leading rivals,” he says.

There are also new, larger bursaries to attract top science and maths graduates into teaching.

Mr Stuart said that this is “good news for STEM teaching”.

But he adds: “But there are also reasons for us to be cautious about how successful the Government’s drive to recruit more and better STEM teachers will prove to be.

“As I have outlined, ministers are taking three key steps to strengthen STEM education.

“First, they are encouraging more students to study STEM subjects. Second, they are toughening up the curriculum, making it considerably more demanding. And third, they are introducing compulsory maths in post-16 education for those who fail to get a C at GCSE. These are all laudable steps in their own right.

“But it seems to me that the Government’s plan risks creating a triple whammy which will worsen the pressure on teacher supply in the STEM subjects.”

SCORE is a partnership of science organisations that aims to improve science education in England’s schools and colleges.