Britain at a crossroads
In England one teacher leaves the profession for every one that joins. Against this backdrop, the number of secondary pupils is rapidly rising.
On top of that, not enough people are joining teacher training routes: last year, the number of trainees recruited was 20% below target.
Many disadvantaged pupils in the UK are not achieving their potential in education, at the same time as the economy faces the very real prospect of skills shortages post-Brexit. We need more great teachers than ever before.
To overcome the momentous recruitment challenge, teaching must have all the elements of an attractive and modern career, including the chance to achieve a good work-life balance, satisfactory pay and opportunities to develop.