NFER blog: Exploring the special schools workforce: What’s the current picture?

NFER has published the first in a two-part blog series, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, that looks at special schools in England.

This blog looks at the workforce in state-funded special schools, teacher vacancy rates and data about teachers with qualified teacher status (QTS).

The research finds that, on average, state-funded special schools in England:

• face distinct workforce challenges because of the higher staff to pupil ratio needed. Special schools have around four times more staff on a per-pupil basis than primary or secondary schools.
• are particularly affected by teaching assistant shortages. NFER surveys suggest teaching assistant posts in special schools are less likely to be filled within two months than in other schools. However, DfE does not systematically collect data about teaching assistant shortages, meaning there's a lack of evidence base to inform action.
• are vulnerable to funding pressures when the government provides additional funding for pay rises for teachers but not for support staff.
• face greater teacher shortages than the average school, but the worst shortages are concentrated in Alternative Provision (AP) settings.
• employ teachers without Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) more often than mainstream schools. This suggests special schools are more willing – or need - to use a wider pool of candidates when recruiting teachers.

Commenting on the research, Michael Scott, Senior Economist at NFER and the blog's author, said:

“Special schools are a vital part of the education landscape in England, but relatively little work has been done to understand the issues facing teachers and staff in these schools.

“Our findings emphasise how important teaching assistants are to providing education to children with a wide range of needs in all types of schools, but particularly special schools.

“Surveys tell us special schools face acute teaching assistant shortages, but DfE doesn't collect regular data about this. It should do so. Without that information, we cannot fully assess the workforce challenge facing special schools.”