Our impact
How much you achieve in life shouldn’t be determined
by your parents’ earnings. Yet in the UK it usually is.
It takes time and persistence to change the story of a child’s lifetime. We believe this
can start with the dedication and leadership of a great teacher who inspires a child
to work towards the future they want. And so, each year we train and support new
teachers to work in primary and secondary schools serving low-income communities
across the UK.
And while many of our teachers continue to teach in the long term, we also support
those who choose to tackle educational inequality in different sectors of society. Some
set up social enterprises with support from our Innovation Unit which exists to find
and nurture great ideas to help make the education system fairer. Others champion
the importance of education within charities, government and businesses. And many
give their time as school governors or mentor sixth form students as part of our Futures
programme to help young people make informed decisions about their future.
No matter what they choose to do next, each has the belief and commitment that
together we can end educational inequality. This is a powerful movement for change
and together we will ensure that every child has a fair chance at school, and in life.
You can find out more about our work at teachfirst.org.uk
Introduction
In the UK, the street you grow up on can determine your whole future.
And many children from our poorest communities fall behind before
they even start primary school. At age five there is already an 18
percentage point gap between the development of children from
low-income backgrounds and their wealthier peers.
This achievement gap widens throughout a child’s life. At GCSE level, nearly 50% of children claiming free
school meals achieve no passes above a D grade. Only 17% of pupils on free school meals progress to any
form of higher education – for pupils from independent schools the figure is 96%.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We believe that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds have the right to an equal chance
in life. And over the past decade we have been working to close the gap, helping to ensure no child’s educational success is limited
by their socio-economic background. There is more to do but we’ve contributed towards significant progress:
Independent research shows that our
teachers are increasing the GCSE results
of pupils in low-income communities
across the UK (see page 2).
Schools in London, where we’ve placed
3,000 teachers since 2003, have moved
from being the lowest performing in
England, to the highest performing
(see page 4).
80%
Eighty percent of young people on our
Futures programme progress to Higher
Education – compared to just 17% of
students from low-income backgrounds
nationally (see page 5).
1st
Our training was graded ‘outstanding’
in every one of the 44 categories
assessed in our last Ofsted inspection.
Last year, 99% of our teachers
completing their first year achieved
‘outstanding’ or ‘good’ in their qualified
teacher status grade (see page 6).
Teaching in low-income communities
is now the second most prestigious
career choice for the country’s top
graduates (see page 7).
Our ambassadors are leading change
in and out of the classroom. This
community includes 14 headteachers,
over 550 middle and senior school
leaders and 38 ambassador-founded
social enterprises (see page 8).
This report gives an overview of our impact over the past decade, including information on raising school
and pupil performance, strengthening the teaching workforce and developing a movement of leaders across
education and society.
Introduction | 1
Raising school and
pupil performance
We are the only teacher training route with published evidence of a direct
link between our training and school performance and GCSE results. There is
clear evidence that our teachers have had a positive impact on their pupils
and schools, raising results, aspirations and access to university.
Improving school performance and GCSE results
While assessing the impact of specific interventions on
pupil learning can be difficult, two independent studies
have identified a correlation between our teachers and
improved GCSE results. In 2010, research from a University
of Manchester study1 found that schools which employed
Teach First teachers saw improved GCSE results. Schools that
had partnered with us in four of the previous six years saw
their GCSE results improve by a third of a grade, per pupil, per
subject, compared to similar schools without our teachers.
As all other factors were controlled for in the study, the
researchers were able to correlate these improvements to the
presence of our teachers.
One of our teachers with students from Lanfranc School
Schools that had partnered with us in four
of the previous six years saw their GCSE
results improve by a third of a grade, per
pupil, per subject
In addition, an independent evaluation by the Institute of
Education2 in 2013 also found that schools working with Teach
1 Muijs et al. (2010), Teach First: pedagogy and outcomes. The impact of an alternative
certification programme, University of Manchester
2 Allen, R and Allnutt, J (2013) Matched panel data estimates of the impact of Teach
First on school and departmental performance, Institute of Education
2 | Raising school and pupil performance
First improved their GCSE scores. Dr Rebecca Allen compared
the results of pupils in schools with our teachers to those
in similar schools, including those that partnered with us at
a later date. At a school-wide level Dr Allen found that a GCSE
student in a school with our teachers improved by one grade
overall across their eight best GCSEs.
A GCSE student in a school with
our teachers improved by one grade
overall across their eight best GCSEs
This initial impact is even more impressive given it is
measured in the second year of a school partnering with Teach
First, while the teachers are in their first and second year in the
profession. Academic research3 suggests that teachers are still
developing in these, their first years, peaking between three
to five years into the profession. We hope to see our teachers
continue to increase their impact as they develop within the
profession.
The Institute of Education study also looked at the impact of
Teach First teachers on individual departments within schools.
Here it found that our teachers could be adding as much as
30% of a grade per student compared to other teachers within
the same department.
Our teachers could be adding 30% of a
grade per student compared to other
teachers within the same department
Dr Allen concludes that as this impact is so significant, it is
likely that the increase in pupil performance is not simply
down to our teachers’ direct impact on their students. Instead
she suggests that the presence of Teach First teachers “also
raises the teaching standards of those who teach alongside
them in the same department”. It is therefore very likely that
our teachers are not only having a direct impact on improving
pupils’ results, but may also be helping to raise the overall
standard of teaching within their school departments.
The presence of Teach First teachers “also
raises the standards of those who teach
alongside them in the same department”
Dr Allen’s research found that departments within schools
without Teach First participants achieved 9% lower GCSE grade
performance compared to other departments in the same
school before partnering with Teach First. Within two years of
having our teachers, these departments outperformed other
departments in the same school by 16%.
1. Pupil GCSE grade performance in departments
containing Teach First participant(s) relative to
other school departments
Year 2
Year 0
Year 3
Year 1
Years with Teach First
3 http://tntp.org/assets/documents/TNTP_FactSheet_TeacherExperience_2012.pdf
University Academy, partner school in Liverpool
Seventy five percent of University Academy’s 700 pupils receive free school meals - the highest proportion of
any school in the country.
40% 72%
During the first four years of partnership
with the school, the percentage of
pupils achieving five A*–C GSCE grades
increased from 40% to 72%.
“Teach First graduates have been at the forefront of everything
we have achieved in recent times; from the cohort of Year 9
pupils who have already gained an A* in maths GCSE and
who will be starting their A-level course two years early,
to the Year 10s who are being coached for Oxbridge entry.”
(Larry Wilson, Vice Principal)
Source: The Times, July 2012
Raising school and pupil performance | 3
Transforming London’s schools
Our roots lie in the transformation of London’s schools. In 2002,
the capital was the worst place for children from low-income
communities to go to school. At the heart of London’s many
educational problems was its inability to attract and retain
high-quality teachers – one of the most important factors in
improving a child’s educational outcomes. We were created to
address this issue and help close the attainment gap.
We recruited our first 186 participants to teach in London
schools in 2003 and have since placed a further 3,000 teachers
in the capital. Today, our participants and ambassadors, alumni
of our two-year programme, account for nearly one in ten of all
teachers working in schools serving low-income communities
in inner London. And 60 of our ambassadors are currently
working as middle and senior leaders in these schools.
London is now a leading example across the world of improving
outcomes for pupils from low-income backgrounds. Between
2003 and 2011 London schools moved from being the lowest
performing in England to the highest performing and now have
the highest proportion of schools rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.
Our participants and ambassadors
account for nearly one in ten of all
teachers working in schools serving
low-income communities in London
We are proud to have played our part in this success, with a
recent study from CfBT and the Centre for London identifying
Teach First as one of four key factors in the transformation of
the capital’s schools, alongside the introduction of the London
Challenge, academies and high quality local authority support4.
The report highlighted that the evidence of our impact was
“extremely promising” and that we “made a disproportionate
contribution to the transformation of London schools”.
A recent study from the CfBT and the
Centre for London identified Teach
First as one of four key factors in the
transformation of London’s schools
7,000
Since placing our first cohort in London in 2003, we have
recruited nearly 7,000 teachers and now partner with
schools serving low-income communities in every
region of England and in Wales.
4 CfBT & Centre for London (2014), Lessons from London schools: investigating the
success
Bethnal Green Academy, partner school in London
Bethnal Green Academy in East London was in special measures when we first partnered with them in 2003.
Today it is one of the most improved schools in the country.
27% 74%
The percentage of pupils
achieving five A*-C GCSEs
including English and maths
has climbed from 27% to
74% in the past six years.
In December 2012, the
school became the first in
Tower Hamlets to receive an
‘outstanding’ rating in all
categories by Ofsted.
4 | Raising school and pupil performance
“The 34 Teach First teachers I’ve worked with
over the years are one of the biggest factors in
our transformation. They helped change the
outcomes for young people in one of the most
disadvantaged communities in England, and
have shifted these young people’s expectations
of themselves.” (Mark Keary, Principal)
Increasing graduation from Higher Education
And over a third of the pupils we supported last year secured
places at Russell Group institutions – with Futures pupils
50% more likely to secure these places than a benchmark
group5. This success is replicated at even the most selective
universities, with 60% of Futures pupils interviewed at
Oxbridge receiving an offer, outperforming the average of 25%
of offers to all interviewees, regardless of their background.
60% of Futures pupils interviewed at
Oxbridge received an offer, outperforming
the average of 25% of all interviewees
A sixth former on our Futures programme and their mentor
Young people from the poorest homes are seven times less
likely to attend the most selective universities than their
wealthier peers. Our Futures programme matches sixth
formers from our partner schools with mentors who supply
advice and practical opportunities to help them progress to
the best educational or career options for them. It includes
a structured programme of activities, including a week long
residential at the University of Cambridge and support from
employers.
2. Applications, offers and acceptance to Russell Group
universities by Futures pupils and a benchmark group
Futures
Accepted
Benchmark
Offers
Applying
This year we will support over 900 pupils across the country,
with no family history of higher education, to realise their full
potential. Eighty percent of pupils involved in Futures progress
to Higher Education, compared to just 17% of students from
low-income backgrounds nationally.
80% of Futures pupils progress
to Higher Education
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
5 The Futures cohort used for comparison consisted of 91 students who had no family
history of higher education or who were eligible for free school meals, attended a Teach
First eligible school in London and achieved at least CCD at A Level. The Benchmark
group consisted of 1,424 students with no family history of higher education, who
attended a Teach First eligible school in London and achieved at least 220 tariff points
(equivalent to CCD) at A Level.
Louise Howland, Futures pupil
Louise Howland, 18, from Bramley in Leeds, says her Futures mentor helped her to build upon her dream of
going to Oxford University and becoming a writer. She now holds a conditional offer to study English there.
“There were a lot of horror stories about the Oxford interview process, which candidates were more likely
to receive an offer. My mentor was always ready to give advice about university, exams and the general
stresses of A-Levels. She was key in enabling me to make the right choices, and provided me with resources
that hadn’t previously been available. It definitely spurred me to apply to Oxford.”
Raising school and pupil performance | 5
Strengthening the
teaching workforce
Our participants currently account for around 6% of the total number of new teachers
trained in England every year. We are not a replacement for other routes into teaching,
but believe our unique role is to be highly focused on helping schools improve results
in low-income and challenging areas of the country. In these schools, next year we will
provide over 25% of all new teachers.
Delivering high quality teacher training
We are committed to delivering world class teacher training.
Our teachers commit to teaching in a state school serving
low-income communities for a minimum of two years, with
all working towards a PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status, and
many completing our Master’s degree.
Our training was graded ‘outstanding’
in every single one of the 44 categories
assessed in our last Ofsted inspection
And last year, 99% of our teachers completing their first year
achieved ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’ in their Qualified Teachers
Status grade, with over two-thirds of these being graded
‘outstanding’. These high levels of achievement have been
consistent and improving across all our intakes.
3. Qualified Teacher Status grades of Teach First participants
Outstanding/Very Good
Good
Satisfactory
100%
80%
60%
Our training was graded ‘outstanding’ in every single one of
the 44 categories assessed in our last Ofsted inspection6. The
report stated that “in all regions, the quality of the participants
is exceptional: particularly their personal characteristics,
professional attributes, self-motivation, critical reflection and
their commitment to raising the aspirations and achievement
of the students in their schools and addressing educational
disadvantage. Even in their first year of training they are well
on their way to becoming inspirational teachers, and some
already are.” (Ofsted, 2011)
6 Ofsted (2011), Teach First, Initial Teacher Education inspection report
6 | Strengthening the teaching workforce
40%
20%
0%
‘03
‘04
‘05
‘06
‘07
‘08
‘09
‘10
‘11
‘12
Year of Intake
Our most vital partners are the schools we work with, and
headteachers in our partner schools are overwhelmingly positive
about the quality of our participants. Eighty seven percent agreed
that they would recommend partnering with us to other school
leaders and 68% said that our participants have a more positive
effect on pupil outcomes than would normally be expected of
trainee and newly qualified teachers; just 9% disagreed.
“One of [Teach First’s] biggest contributions has been to detoxify teaching for Britain’s most
talented graduates… Ten years ago relatively few high-achieving graduates sought out careers in
teaching. Now they are fighting to get onto Teach First and other routes into the profession.”
(Professor Chris Husbands, Institute of Education)
Transforming the perception of teaching
We are proud of the role we have played in helping to transform
the perception of teaching. In 2003 our training programme
entered the UK Times Top 100 Graduate Employers at number
62. Now, ten years later, teaching in low-income communities is
second most prestigious career choice for new graduates7.
We have helped make teaching in
low-income communities the second
most prestigious career choice
for new graduates
Teaching is also now the most popular profession for Oxbridge
graduates and one of the top five career choices for graduates
at the top 30 universities in the UK. In 2015 we aim to recruit
over 2,000 teachers to work in schools serving low-income
More than one quarter of our latest
cohort were eligible for free school meals
(FSM) and/or the Education Maintenance
Allowance (EMA) while at school
communities in every region of England and in Wales – making
us the largest UK graduate recruiter in the UK.
In 2015 we aim to recruit over 2,000
teachers to work in schools serving
low-income communities in every
region of England and in Wales
We also believe it is vital that our teachers reflect the
communities they serve. We attract and select a more diverse
intake than the overall teaching workforce. And our search for
talent is not limited to university campuses. More than one in five
of our latest cohort of teachers are career changers and young
professionals, bringing valuable skills and expertise from all
industries into classrooms across England and Wales.
38%
38% were the first in their family to go
to university
14% were from Black and Minority Ethnic
(BAME) groups, double the percentage of
the current teaching workforce
7 The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2014-15
James Tomlinson, Teach First pupil to Teach First teacher
James Tomlinson was taught geography by our teacher Joanne Wallace at the Kearsley Academy in Bolton.
Another Teach First participant, Katie Blake, mentored him and encouraged him to pursue teaching as a
career. He’s now in his final year of geography at Edge Hill University – the first of ten siblings to pursue
higher education – and is applying to join our programme in 2016.
“As others would turn to their family for role models, my teachers were my role models. When Teach First
teachers started coming in, things started to change in my school, because they wanted to know their pupils”.
Strengthening the teaching workforce | 7
Developing leaders across
education and society
Educational inequality is a deep rooted problem and we believe that it needs a
movement of leaders working in schools, government, businesses, the third sector
and across society to end it. As such, we provide targeted support to our ambassador
network, alumni of our two-year programme, enabling them to develop skills and
expertise, connect with one another and innovate game-changing ideas. We help them
have maximum impact and become leaders across all sectors.
In addition to the 2,543 teachers currently completing our two-year programme, we have 3,500 ambassadors.
With continued support, we hope this will grow to a community of over 10,000 people by 2018, and 17,000
by 2022.
Beyond two years
While all of our teachers commit to a minimum of two years
teaching in low-income communities, the majority remain in
the classroom for longer. Fifty eight percent of those who have
completed our training programme since 2003 have remained
in teaching, with over two-thirds of them continuing to work in
schools serving low-income communities.
58% of those who have completed our training
since 2003 have remained in teaching
While directly comparable data is not easily available, 56% of
those who started our programme four years ago are still in
teaching, compared to 63% of those teaching four years after
starting a mainstream PGCE in 20058. Given our teachers work
8 This also takes into account the lower QTS completion rate of mainstream PGCE
students compared to those of Teach First. Statistics from the Teaching Development
Agency’s evidence to Education Select Committee, 2012 http://www.publications.
parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmeduc/1515/1515ii.pdf
8 | Developing leaders across education and society
exclusively in schools serving low-income communities,
which tend to have higher staff turnover rates, we would
expect the retention rates to be even closer when
comparing similar settings.
4. Percentage of our participants
still in teaching after 3 years
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
‘03
‘04
‘05
‘06
‘07
‘08
Year started with Teach First
‘09
‘10
“It is fantastic to see Teach First teachers now moving into leadership roles and into headship.
This reflects well on the training they receive and shows a welcome commitment to the profession.
They often bring exactly the energy, ambition and innovation that we look for in future heads and
senior leaders.” (Russell Hobby, General Secretary of the National Association of Headteachers)
Leaders in schools
More than one third of our ambassadors in teaching occupy
leadership positions in schools, including heads of department,
heads of year and assistant principals. And, as of September
2014, we will have supported 14 ambassadors to become
headteachers. In the next few years we expect this number to
grow rapidly, rising to 40 ambassador headteachers by 2016.
As of September 2014 we will have supported
14 ambassadors to become headteachers
Moreover, as our programme aims to inspire a lifelong
commitment to closing the attainment gap, many of our nonteaching ambassadors choose to return to the classroom later in
their career. More than half of our 14 ambassador headteachers
left teaching at some point in their career, returning to the
profession with the added benefit of the skills and knowledge
they had gained outside of schools. And more of our first cohort
of teachers from 2003 are in teaching positions today than they
were three years after starting the programme.
Max Haimendorf, 2003 Ambassador, became the youngest
headteacher in the country when he was appointed to King
Solomon Academy in 2008. The school, which serves a
community where 58% of its GCSE pupils are eligible for free
school meals, now employs 20 of our ambassadors and in May
2013 received an ‘outstanding’ rating from Ofsted.
5. Ambassador roles in teaching
1200
1000
800
Headteacher
4
Senior Leadership
68
Middle Leadership
311
Classroom
600
400
631
200
0
6
18
112
263
Low Income School
Other UK School
19
1
86
4
International School
In August 2014, King Solomon Academy’s first cohort of pupils
to sit GCSE exams celebrated fantastic results of 93% A* to
C grades, including English and maths. Commenting on the
results Max said: “I’m very proud and grateful to the amazing
teachers in the school who are so dedicated to getting the best
possible results for our pupils”.
In August 2014, King Solomon Academy’s
first cohort of pupils to sit GCSE exams
celebrated fantastic results of 93% A* to C
grades, including English and maths
Similar success was replicated in March 2014 at Reach
Academy Feltham, a school set up and led by two of our
ambassadors, Rebecca Cramer and Ed Vainker. The school
became the first all-through free school to be awarded
‘outstanding’ in every category by Ofsted.
“Fifteen of our seventeen teachers are
Teach First ambassadors or participants
and the Teach First mission drives
everything that we do.” (Rebecca Cramer,
Headteacher, Reach Academy Feltham)
Pupils from King Soloman Academy
Developing leaders across education and society | 9
Impact beyond the classroom
We also track and monitor the progress that our ambassadors
make into positions of leadership across society, and the role
they play in ending educational inequality.
6. Sectors our ambassadors are working in
2% Government & Policy
2% Study
10% Education &
(excl School)
And while it’s impossible to fully quantify this impact, there
is a strong and growing body of evidence to suggest our
ambassador community is making a broad and significant
contribution towards closing the gap.
In our 2014 ambassador survey, 86% of respondents said they
are taking action to end educational inequality through their
work and 65% outside of their work.
“Being in Teach First makes me feel part
of something bigger than just a single
classroom - it’s like a family that pushes
me to be better while supporting me to do
so.” (2006 Ambassador Laura McInerney)
Not for Profit
13% Business
37% Teaching
15% Other
(inc Parenting
& Travel)
17% Middle
Leadership
in Schools
4% Senior Leadership in Schools
Ambassadors in charities & government
Ambassadors in business
Across the third sector, over 300 ambassadors are playing
leading roles in organisations working to end educational
inequality such as Place2Be, Whole Education and Family Links.
Ambassadors are also central to developing new thinking,
approaches and ideas outside of the classroom, with over 50
working in government and policy.
410 ambassadors currently work in business. Jo Bailey works
in the Education Practice at Deloitte, where he is part of the
Teach First Professional Services network, a group of over 100
ambassadors drawn from major consultancy firms who work
together to provide access to employment opportunities for
young people from schools serving low-income communities.
Over 300 ambassadors are playing lead
roles in the third sector working to end
educational inequality
For example, Ambassador Daisy Christodoulou heads up the
Research and Development department of the charity ARK
Schools. Previously the CEO of The Curriculum Centre, Daisy
released her widely acclaimed book Seven Myths About
Education last summer.
10 | Developing leaders across education and society
A group of 100 ambassadors in business
work together to provide access to
employment opportunities for young
people in low-income communities
Another influential ambassador in business is Jamie Audsley,
who leads the work experience team at the education and
publishing company Pearson, helping to improve the quality
and quantity of work experience opportunities available to
young people across the UK.
Ambassador social entrepreneurs
There are currently 38 ambassadorled social enterprises focusing on a
diverse range of areas including literacy
provision and support for pupils at risk
of exclusion.
There are currently 38
ambassador-led social
enterprises
In 2013, our Innovation Unit provided
intensive support to 19 of these
organisations in order to help increase their
scale and impact, reaching 770 schools and
over 30,000 young people, including:
Young person reading with a volunteer at Hackney Pirates © Hackney Pirates
FRONTLINE
JAMIE’S FARM
THE BRILLIANT CLUB Aims to transform the life chances
of abused and neglected children by
attracting high quality graduates to
become children’s social workers.
Combination of ‘farming, family and
therapy’ for hard to reach children
through a short-stay residential and
follow up programme in schools.
Widens access to top universities
by placing PhD students in schools
and sixth form colleges in lowparticipation communities.
FIRST STORY THE ACCESS PROJECT FUTURE FIRST Supports and inspires creativity
and literacy in UK schools and local
communities by providing creative
writing workshops by acclaimed authors.
Helps motivated students from
disadvantaged backgrounds win
places at top universities.
Builds networks of former students
who return to their old schools to
widen current pupils’ horizons and
educate them about their options.
HACKNEY PIRATES ENABLING ENTERPRISE NATIONAL ORCHESTRA FOR ALL Supplements school by giving
young people one-to-one attention
in an unconventional learning
environment.
Works with schools and businesses
to develop enterprise education
programmes that give students skills
they need to succeed.
Delivers residential courses that
bring together young people from
challenging schools throughout the
UK to play together in a full orchestra.
“Having the Teach First name behind gives you real credibility and opens lots of doors.
It has massively increased our networks, connections and opportunities. We wouldn’t
be in the place we are today without the support of the Innovation Unit.”
(Charly Young and Becca Dean, Founders, The Girls’ Network)
Developing leaders across education and society | 11
The opportunity ahead
Despite huge progress, young people’s success is still too strongly
determined by their background, not their potential. We’ve started to
see change, but there are significant challenges ahead.
We are proud to have played a leading role in London’s educational transformation. But the face of educational
inequality is changing; the weakest performing schools are now increasingly in coastal towns and dispersed areas.
Recognising this trend, we have already expanded to the South
Coast – focusing on coastal deprivation around Bournemouth and
Hastings. And from 2014 we are working in the East of England
as well as continuing our presence in market towns across the
country such as Leicester, Stoke, Telford, Preston and Rochdale.
But there is more to do. From 2015 we will expand the schools
we work with, focusing more on reaching those in dispersed
and coastal communities, tackling the changing landscape of
educational inequality. This will mean that 36% of secondary
schools and 32% of all primary schools in the country will
be eligible to work with us, based on our criteria of economic
disadvantage and poor attainment.
From 2015 we will focus more
on reaching those in dispersed
and coastal communities
Next year we aim to provide around 50% of all new Science and
Maths teachers in schools serving low-income communities.
Next year we aim to provide nearly 50%
of all new Science and Maths teachers in
schools serving low-income communities
Focusing on early intervention
If we are to close the attainment gap, we must start early,
ensuring all children start on a level playing field. To deliver
this, we will focus on increasing the number of primary and
early years teachers we recruit and train. And we will support
our ambassadors to take on leadership positions in these areas,
continuing to drive the movement of high quality leaders
committed to closing the attainment gap at its earliest point.
7. Number of Teach First teachers recruited each year
Tackling the STEM crisis
Our economy needs an extra 40,000 graduates from Science,
Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) backgrounds in order
to secure and sustain our growth. However, very few students
are taking up these subjects, particularly those from low-income
communities. And even fewer of those who do enter teaching.
600
500
Secondary STEM
Secondary non-STEM
Primary & EYFS
400
300
200
100
In response, over the past five years we have grown the
number of STEM teachers we’ve recruited by nearly 50%.
12 | The opportunity ahead
0
‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14
What we’re calling for
The last decade has seen significant improvements in the
outcomes of pupils and the quality of our schools. But in the
UK, where you grow up can still determine your future. We
need a national commitment to end educational inequality –
to ensure every child can succeed, no matter their background.
This is the final challenge to achieving a truly world class
education system and delivering a skilled workforce that can
deliver economic success.
abc 123
E
GCS
Narrow the gap in literacy and
numeracy at primary school
Narrow the gap in GCSE attainment
at secondary school by 44% based on
GCSE Average Points Scores
Ensure young people develop key
strengths, including resilience and
wellbeing, to support high aspirations
To deliver this aim we have created the Fair Education
Impact Goals – a clear framework for education reform that
sets measureable targets to deliver an education system
that works for all children. The goals were created following
consultation with over 1,700 stakeholders, including education
experts, charities, businesses and teachers. Over the next
decade, the goals will challenge us to:
Narrow the gap in the proportion
of young people in education,
employment or training one year after
compulsory education
Narrow the gap in university graduation,
including from the 25% most selective
universities, so every year at least 5,000
more graduate including 1,600 from the
most selective universities
These changes are not the sole responsibility of any single school, charity, business or government.
They will require collective, long-term effort. As such, 27 leading organisations have joined forces to form
the Fair Education Alliance. From the National Association of Head Teachers to children’s charities such as
Save the Children and Barnardo’s, and business organisations such as Business in the Community and CBI,
each have committed to work together to achieve these goals.
Students from St Mary’s Church of England Primary School
Successive governments have committed to improving social mobility, and the outcomes of our most
disadvantaged children. While progress has been made, the Fair Education Impact Goals provide a framework and
challenge to us all to ensure that no child’s educational success is limited by their socio-economic background.
We continue to need the support of government, businesses, schools and individuals to deliver on this vision.
The opportunity ahead | 13
“We are in a global race. We have to make sure that our students and our schools are as good, as
stretched, as talented as those in Shanghai, in Singapore, in Helsinki or wherever. We have to compare
ourselves to the best in the world and ask ourselves, ‘How can we be up there with the best?’ And that to
me is absolutely what Teach First is about.”
(The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon David Cameron MP)
“It’s my goal in Government to ensure that we live in a society where it’s your talents and efforts alone
that determine how successful you become. The work that Teach First does is so vital in helping ensure
that a child’s background does not determine their future. I fully support you and the talented teachers
who are working tirelessly to raise results and aspirations.”
(Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon Nick Clegg MP)
“Teach First has gone from strength to strength as an organisation. Its focus on maximising the potential
of pupils from low-income communities is helping to increase the opportunities open to young people.
Excellent teaching is key to ensuring we have an education system which delivers for every child. We
should celebrate the contribution Teach First makes to schools across the country.”
(Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon Ed Miliband MP)
Timeline of Our Impact
2003
We placed our first secondary participants in London
2005
We expanded our reach out of London,
opening an office in Manchester
2008
We began working with primary schools
and one of our ambassadors became the
youngest headteacher in the country
2010
Our ambassador community reached over 1,000
2011
Our training was graded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted
2012
We launched our Innovation and Higher Education Access work
2013
We became the largest graduate recruiter in the UK
and extended our work to early years
2014
We began placing participants in every English region and in Wales
teachfirst.org.uk | @TeachFirst | Registered charity: 1098294