As one of her first steps since being appointed education secretary on Friday, Phillipson has resumed and expanded its flagship teacher recruitment campaign, ‘Every Lesson Shapes a Life’, and its education recruitment campaign, ‘Share Your Skills’.
Every Lesson Shapes a Life was launched in 2018. It directs candidates to the Get into Teaching website, where they can access support and advice from teacher training advisers, a dedicated contact centre and a national programme of events.
The education secretary has also begun work to deliver on the new Government’s pledge to recruit 6,500 teachers.
Today she will write to all education workforces to ‘make it clear the valuable role they will play in this Government’s agenda for change.’
Within the letter, Phillipson invites the education sector to attend a webinar next Tuesday (16 July) where she will share 'her vision' for the 'system'. There will be a chance for delegates to share their views and ask questions.
She will also hold a reception with ‘key’ education stakeholders later this week and make it a priority to meet with teaching unions in the coming days.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said, ‘From day one, we are delivering the change this country demands and putting education back at the forefront of national life. We will work urgently to recruit thousands of brilliant new teachers and reset the relationship between Government and the education workforce.
‘For too long the teaching profession has been talked down, sidelined and denigrated. I have made it my first priority to write today to the people at the centre of making change happen: our workforces.
‘I want all children to have the best life chances which means recruiting and keeping great teachers in our classrooms – today is the first step in that mission.’
The Government has yet to announce the minister who will hold the early years portfolio. However, at the weekend Jacqui Smith, a former schools minister was appointed to the DfE as a minister of state within the House of Lords. Smith held the title of minister for education and skills in May 2005-2006, and was later home secretary.
