Understanding teacher supply in England and Wales

This book is an important re-consideration of the supply of school teachers in the UK. It starts with popular representations of shortages of teachers, and government policies intended to improve the supply, quality and retention of teachers. The book then presents a re-analysis of the trends for teachers, a survey of the career intentions of nearly 2,000 students, and a range of interviews with trainee teachers. An explicit comparison between students intending to be teachers and those intending to pursue other careers shows that the common idea of a ‘crisis’ in teacher supply is wrong. Policies based on increasing teacher quality through extrinsic rewards are misplaced. Financial incentives to train have little influence on those already committed to other careers, while those who want to teach are more likely to be motivated by intrinsic rewards than those who have never considered teaching. The findings are internationally relevant, to policy-makers, advisers and teaching unions. They are of significance for students and researchers interested in the role of evidence-informed policy-making, and those involved in the professional development of skilled adult.