The DfE’s ITT census published this morning highlight just how much the pandemic has affected recruitment. History recruited to 199% of the DfE target while physics managed just 22% of target – a new record low for the subject. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/initial-teacher-training-trainee-number-census-2021-to-2022 The key message from the census is that easy to recruit subjects had a good year, but subjects where recruitment is challenging often continued to have issues with physics at 22% of target a matter of serious concern and design and technology at 23% of target also facing a crisis.

	2013/14	2019/2020	2020/21	2021/22
Percentage of Target at census date	%	%	%	%
Mathematics	86	65	84	95
English	136	110	127	118
Modern Languages	85	64	74	71
Biology		163	189	117
Physics		42	45	22
Chemistry		67	80	105
Physical Education	138	105	135	164
Other		57	82	25
Design & Technology	45	42	75	23
History	150	115	175	199
Geography	100	118	130	86
Computing	63	75	105	69
Art & Design	136	62	132	140
Religious Education	82	94	128	99
Music	97	80	125	72
Drama				157
Business Studies	88	53	102	45
All Secondary	98	83	106	82
		Inc TF	Inc TF	Inc TF
Primary	99	94	130	136
		Inc TF	Inc TF	Inc TF

Looking back at a comparison of this year with 2019/2020 before the pandemic most subjects have still recruited better to target apart from those mentioned above and computing and music. There is also good news for the government in that trainee numbers in London are up on two years ago; the only region where that is the case. However, it isn’t clear how the increase breaks down between primary and secondary trainees in terms of the increase. Some 8% of secondary trainees and 5% of primary are classified as non-UK National trainees by background. Clearly, without these trainees the position in the secondary sector would have been even worse. The government will also be gratified by the overall qualification level of trainees as measured by degree class. However, once a gain there is a need to delve below the total to see if there are difference s between subjects and parts of the country. As predicted the percentage of trainees on the School Direct Salaried route fell from 6% to 3%. However, there was an increase in trainees on the apprenticeship route from one per cent of the total to three per cent. The shift from higher education to school based courses continued with higher education now accounting for just 45% of trainees. The High Potential Trainee route (ex Teach First) remained at 15%. The new name seems a little provocative for a short-service route. Looking across the board at the implications for the 2022 recruitment round it seems likely that the primary sector will be able to fill vacancies relatively easily. However, it is a different matter in the secondary sector. Schools will be awash with applications for history and PE posts but should now be thinking of how to deal with vacancies in the design and technology and for physis as well as business studies and some of the subjects classified as ‘other’ by the DfE.