Teacher shortage in mathematics and physics: some possible solutions

Mathematics and physics have long been recognised as hard shortage subjects in secondary school staffing. It appears that we have now reached a critical position where recruitment to PGCE courses, the main route into secondary school teaching, is in a state of rapid decline. The number of entrants to PGCE courses in September 1985 showed a 13% decrease in mathematics and a 20% decrease in physics on the previous year. The figures for 1984 entry compared to 1983 were 13% down in mathematics and 12% down in physics. Applications for places on PGCE courses commencing September 1986 are presently down by 32% in mathematics and 28% in physics on corresponding figures for Setember 1985 entry. This downward trend in applications is in part offset by falling rolls in secondary schools, but mathematics and physics are subjects where specialist staffing is already a scarce resource. Recent surveys have shown that 38% of all mathematics teaching and 22% of physics teaching in the 11‐16 age range is in the hands of unsuitably qualified teachers. In addition teacher wastage is high in these key areas with many teachers leaving the profession for better paid jobs in industry or commerce. In this paper I consider a range of possible solutions to the shortage problem, some of which have been attempted, while others are merely proposals at this stage. It is not suggested however, that each proposed stategy should operate in isolation.