Lack of support puts young teachers off, Ofsted warns

Sir Michael Wilshaw said teacher recruitment had always been an issue

Young teachers in England are being put off the profession by a lack of support, the schools watchdog warns.

Ofsted boss Sir Michael Wilshaw said head teachers needed to protect new teachers to maintain their enthusiasm and stop them leaving their jobs.

Sir Michael said it was not inspections that put new recruits off, but a lack of support and working in poorly-led schools with badly behaved pupils.

He was giving evidence before the Commons Education Select Committee.

Sir Michael added: "It [recruitment] is a big issue and it has been so ever since I've been a teacher.

"Before I joined Ofsted I used to talk a lot to teachers joining the profession, particularly to Teach First.

Unruly pupils were one of the reasons new teachers left, Sir Michael told MPs

"What used to upset me was talking to people who were bright-eyed and bushy tailed, hugely enthusiastic about coming into teaching and wanting to do well for disadvantaged youngsters, saying to me that they were put off teaching in the first few years because they weren't adequately helped and supported by leaders.

"That the culture of the schools in which they were worked was poor, that behaviour was poor, every day was a daily struggle, with poorly behaved, badly behaved pupils.

"They were there for a reason and they wanted to commit themselves to a period of time in those institutions where they were working. But a lot of them said: 'I'll take it for a bit of time but not a lot longer'.

"The thing that puts off teachers is working in an institution that's not good and that's poorly led, and where behaviour, particularly, is poor."

'Red herring'

The chief inspector was adamant that the pressure of being inspected was not the issue.

"It's not Ofsted in my view, and that's often a red herring," he told MPs.

"Head teachers have got to make sure they run good schools, where there's a strong and positive culture, protect those newly-qualified teachers in a way that some don't and that those young teachers make a career in teaching.

"That's the thing that puts off teachers. It's not Ofsted. Although they might say that and some of the union reps might say it."