 Many trainee teachers are unaware of "realities", the government says |
Would-be teachers who are likely to drop out of the profession soon after they start work should be dissuaded from starting courses, ministers say. The Department for Education and Skills said it wanted to cut "wastage" among unhappy staff in England's schools.
A Commons education select committee report this summer voiced concern that fewer than half those starting training teach for more than five years.
The job could no longer be seen as a "career for life", the report added.
'Realities'
In its response, the government says evidence being compiled by the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) shows drop-out rates are "too high".
It says: "Part of the solution is to make sure trainees are aware of the realities of the profession before they start training.
"For some, teaching will not be the right career, and it is important that they are counselled out of the profession or fail to gain qualified teacher status."
More people in England are training to become teachers than at any time in 29 years, figures show.
The TTA says 34,400 people have begun teaching courses this year - the most since 1975 - with another 6,900 people expected to learn on the job.
However, the number training to be secondary teachers, a shortage area, has fallen by 405 to 17,885
Maths, science, languages, technology and English are particular areas of concern.
Training quality
Ministers have tried to solve the shortage of specialists by offering graduates in subjects such as maths �4,000 "golden hellos" to train as teachers.
But the MPs' report said extra pay was unpopular as a way of keeping people in the profession, so alternative rewards should be explored.
David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, blamed the quality of training - rather than colleges' intake - for the high drop-out rate.
He said: "Instead of talking about giving prospective teachers a reality check, they need to make sure that the teacher training programme prepares teachers better for the realities of teaching in a modern school.
He added: "Too many are dropping out because they have not been through an adequate teacher training course which prepares them for teaching in the modern world."
Barry Sheerman, chairman of the Commons education select committee, has called on ministers to give teachers "more space to teach and work with students in the classroom". He said it was time to "lighten the burden" exams placed on staff and children.
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