Lucy Powell MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, responding to new statistics on teacher training, said:

“Whilst Ministers are content to bury their heads in the sand, chronic teacher shortages are hitting schools up and down the country. They are deaf to what is really happening in our schools and are failing to tackle this problem or even take it seriously.

“Ensuring there are enough teachers in our schools is a route one, basic job of government – yet by botching teacher recruitment and continually doing down the profession, this Government has left schools struggling against falling applications in key subject areas like maths and science, and the highest number of teachers leaving the profession since records began.

“The Tories’ failure on teacher recruitment and retention is damaging standards and social mobility. There is nothing more fundamental to a good education than having enough excellent teachers in our schools.”