A county-wide teacher shortage could put Cambridge’s future prosperity at risk, a major new report has warned.
New research by Cambridge Ahead has found the supply and retention of teachers is a “central concern” for both the city and the wider region, putting its economic success in doubt.
The report was conducted by RAND Europe on behalf of Cambridge Ahead, which represents the city’s business community.
It states: “Cambridge makes an economic contribution to the UK that far outweighs its size and population – it is a very significant net contributor to the UK’s overall wealth.
“Whilst this level of growth is welcomed, it must also be acknowledged that with it come several challenges, all of which need to be addressed if this potential for the UK is to be fully realised and if Cambridge is to remain one of its most productive cities.”
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The report highlights the secondary sector as a specific cause for concern, where there are too few teachers to replace those who retire or leave.
Stem subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) are also facing a particular shortfall of qualified teachers.
According to the report, which was published on Tuesday (March 21), teachers in the county are more likely to earn less than the national average, and to work part-time or on temporary contracts.
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A Cambridge Ahead spokesman said these problems were compounded by the spiraling cost of living in Cambridgeshire.
“To be a Cambridge resident on an 80 per cent mortgage, the average household would need to earn at least £114,000 within Cambridge city or £69,000 in Cambridgeshire if they are to afford a typical family home,” the spokesman said.
“It is no wonder that the Cambridge region is seeing less people enter the teaching profession, than those retiring or leaving the profession to follow alternative careers.”
Jane Paterson-Todd, CEO of Cambridge Ahead, said: “Without addressing the challenges facing our schools, we put at risk the growth potential of Cambridge and the wider region.
“There is sufficient local support to drive regional initiatives, which will address some of the concerns, but national funding and teaching training policies need to be changed to ensure that the regional education system can best support the remarkable economic growth in our region.”
The report concludes the current pressure on schools in “unsustainable”, and calls for a co-ordinated effort to recruit more Stem subject teachers.
Lead author Julie Belanger said: “Collaborative efforts between national government and local authorities will be vital in identifying regions like Cambridgeshire that are facing teacher shortages and implementing strategies aimed at tackling this issue head-on.”
Following the publication of the report Cambridge’s MP Daniel Zeichner asked in Parliament for an emergency meeting with the education secretary Justine Greening, which Nick Gibb MP, minister of state for schools, has agreed to.