Men missing in primary schools

One in four primary schools still have no male teachers, despite rising numbers of men entering the profession, new figures show.

A quarter (25.6%) of teachers qualifying this year were men, up 2.4% since 2008, according to statistics published by the General Teaching Council for England (GTC).

But only one in eight teachers working in primary schools are male (12.4%), the figures show.

There were 26,208 men working as teachers in primary schools as of March 31 this year, compared to 185,023 women, the figures show.

In total, around 4,000 primaries in England, or one in four, have no registered male teachers, the GTC said, despite the numbers dropping by 130 schools this year.

There are only six state secondary schools in England without men in the classroom, the regulator added.

Today's figures also show that nurseries are still struggling to recruit male staff.

Just 48 men were working in state-run nurseries this year, and only three of them were under 25.

Overall, there were 578,755 teachers registered with the GTC at the end of March, up 1.9% on 2010.

But just over one in 10 (11%) were not working in the classroom.

These teachers are either working elsewhere in the education system, retired, not in education at all, or not working.

The statistics also show that teachers working in schools are getting younger, with the numbers aged under 25 rising by 1.4% in the last five years, while the proportion aged 50-59 has fallen by 8% in the same period.

GTC chief executive Alan Meyrick said: "These figures suggest little change in the long-term imbalance between the numbers of men and women, both in the profession as a whole and in school leadership roles."

He said that women are still under-represented at headteacher and senior leader level.

Previous Government statistics have shown that a third (32%) of men working in primary and nursery schools are in senior leadership roles, compared to 16% of women.

And 14% of men working in secondary schools are in senior roles, against 8% of women.

Mr Meyrick added: "We need to attract teachers and promote tomorrow's leaders from the widest possible pool, regardless of gender, so that children can benefit from the greatest talent and experience."

Education Secretary Michael Gove said more men are needed in teaching to provide youngsters with male role models.

In a speech he said: "We need more male teachers - especially in primary schools - to provide children who often lack male role models at home - with male authority figures who can display both strength and sensitivity.

"One of the principle concerns that men considering teaching feel is the worry that they will fall foul of rules which make normal contact between adults and children a legal minefield."

He said that making it easier for teachers to exercise their authority in the classroom can "help reverse the flight of men from primary education".

Mr Gove added that the Government's plans to launch a "troops to teachers" programme, aimed at turning members of the armed forces into teachers, will boost the numbers of male role models in schools.

A separate study published by the Centre for Policy Studies today suggests that putting soldiers into schools will help to raise standards and deal with bad behaviour.

It backs proposals for a new secondary school, based in Manchester, staffed by ex-servicemen and women.

If it is successful, the model could be rolled out across the country, the report says.

PA