Retraining teachers could offer a cost-effective route to more physics specialists

New research from the Education Policy Institute (EPI), commissioned by Gatsby, finds that retraining teachers already working in schools could be a much more cost-effective way to increase specialist physics teaching than further increases to trainee bursaries.

England has a longstanding shortage of specialist physics teachers. Only 55% of physics teaching hours are currently delivered by a teacher with a relevant degree, with access to specialist teaching particularly limited in disadvantaged schools.

EPI compares the cost of generating an additional year of specialist physics teaching through two routes: increasing the physics teacher training bursary or providing subject-specific retraining for serving teachers.

The analysis finds that each additional year of specialist physics teaching costs the Government around £5,200 through retraining, compared with around £41,000 through a £1,000 increase in the physics bursary. Even when school costs, including teacher time and cover, are included, retraining costs around £8,600 per additional teacher-year.

The report recommends that the Government fund at least one retraining programme designed to develop serving teachers’ physics knowledge to A-level depth. It also stresses that retraining should complement, rather than replace, graduate recruitment. Bursaries remain an important part of tackling the physics teacher shortage.

Jenni French, Head of STEM in Schools at Gatsby, said: “We need to keep recruiting new physics teachers, but recruitment alone will not solve the problem. There are also talented teachers already in schools who, with high-quality subject-specific training and the right support, could help build the specialist physics teaching capacity we urgently need.”

Read the full report: Retrain or recruit? Comparing routes to more specialist teachers