What urgent steps it is taking to address the reported significant shortfall in Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) secondary…

The Teacher Workforce Planning Advisory Group figures are indicative and are provided by universities at the start of the academic session. Official Statistics from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, covering 2024-25, will be available in early 2026. These will provide the most accurate figures on enrolments into Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes.We are taking action to encourage more people into teaching, including in the hardest to fill teaching subjects.Local authorities are responsible for the recruitment and deployment of teaching staff and we are providing them with £186.5 million this year as part of an agreement to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels. We will continue to support local authorities to maximise the number of teaching of jobs available, including through the joint Education and Childcare Assurance Board.Our Teaching Bursary Scheme provides a £20,000 bursary to career changers wishing to undertake a one year Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in the hardest to fill teaching subjects, including STEM subjects and modern languages.We have asked Strategic Board for Teacher Education to develop advice on how to encourage more people into teaching, particularly in subjects that are challenging to fill.Targets for secondary ITE PGDE courses have also been maintained at 2,000 for the 2025-26 academic year and are published on the Scottish Funding Council website
- Intake Targets for Initial Teacher Education in AY 2025-26
- Scottish Funding Council