Teacher recruitment and retention

Inquiry3

The Children, Young People and Education Committee is conducting an inquiry into Teacher Recruitment and Retention.

Report

The report will be published at the start of the Spring term 2026.

Background to the inquiry

Recruitment and retention have been a source of concern amongst teaching unions for a number of years. It has also been brought into focus in relation to shortages in science teaching by the Institute of Physics and the Royal Societies of Biology and Chemistry. It also become a focus of the Committee’s scrutiny of the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill. It also aligns with the Committee’s work on the impact of educational reforms, where in some cases, workforce issues have been identified as barriers to implementation.

On 24 June 2024 the Committee wrote (PDF 163KB) to the Cabinet Secretary highlighting some of these concerns. On 6 September 2024, we received a response (PDF346KB), the Cabinet Secretary shared the Committee’s concerns on the recruitment of science specialist teachers and teachers able to teach through the medium of Welsh.

More recently the Committee wrote (PDF 112KB) to Cabinet Secretary for an update on what the Welsh Government is doing to develop the Strategic Education Workforce Plan. In particular, the timelines for publication of the first plan and who they are working with to develop it. On the 12 March the Committee received a response (PDF 204KB).

What the inquiry will focus on

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>>>Barriers to recruitment: Intake into ITE and factors impacting recruitment into post (including a focus on priority subjects, Welsh medium, secondary schools and the impact of Wales’ educational reforms on teacher recruitment). 

>>>Factors affecting retention: (including a focus on priority subjects, Welsh medium, secondary schools and the effectiveness of early career support). 

>>>School Leaders: specific factors affecting recruitment and retention of school leaders.

>>>Diversity of the workforce: whether the current and future workforce reflects the diversity of the Welsh population including gender, race and ethnicity and disability.

>>>Impact on learners: of the current position on and the delivery of education and on wider support for learners.

>>>Impact on delivering educational reforms: including the Curriculum for Wales. Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 and the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill.

>>>Impact on teachers and wider workforce: including impact on use of teaching assistants and support staff, effect on use of supply teachers. 

>>>Addressing recruitment and retention: What actions should be taken, and by whom, to ensure the sustainability of the education workforce and how such actions should be prioritised.

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Consultation

The Committee launched a call for written evidence on 18 March 2025, this closed on 06 June 2025. All responses are available.

Evidence gathering

From May 2025 to July 2025 the Committee held a number of oral evidence sessions. Further information is available on the relevant meeting agendas.

On the Committee’s behalf, the Senedd Citizen Engagement Team carried out a series of online focus groups with primary and secondary school educators and is holding a stakeholder event with headteachers and also conducted a questionnaire.  A summary report of these findings is available (PDF 443KB).