Thousands of pupils across the country are being taught by teachers who do not have a degree in their specialist subject and more than one in five teaching English or Maths have no relevant post A-level qualification, an MP has uncovered.
Information given to Shipley MP Philip Davies by the Department for Education reveals the stark picture of educational teaching standards across secondary schools in England.
Just 45.4 per cent of Maths teachers educating year groups seven to 13 – the last year of sixth form or college – have a degree or higher in their subject and 65.7 per cent for English. Biology teachers are the most qualified with 77.9 per cent having a degree in their subject followed by music at 77.7 per cent.
Figures provided by government also break down the total percentage of all teachers in each subject who have no relevant post A-level qualification in the taught subject. Worryingly, 26.3 per cent of Maths teachers, 22.4 per cent of English, 34.9 per cent of Geography and 50.5 per cent of Spanish teachers do not have any post A-level relevant qualification.
Mr Davies said: “I am sure many parents will be troubled by these figures – especially with regard to Maths teachers”
Not all schools submitted curriculum information, but government believe they can be “reasonably sure” – 95 per cent certain that the figures are true, to 2 per cent either way.
The official data also details teachers who have Bachelor of Education degrees and Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) or “any relevant post A-level qualification”.
Mr Davies previously spent time in local schools shadowing teachers in an attempt to get a teacher’s perspective on what needs to be done to raise educational attainment.