It will be good news for art educators intending to apply or starting their teacher training in 2024-25, as trainees in our subject will once again receive a 10k bursary.
As a subject-specific trade union we know there is a huge recruitment and retention crisis in art and design and that year-on-year it is worsening. The crisis is not new. On behalf of our members Michele Gregson, General Secretary of NSEAD, has repeatedly written to Gillian Keegan – with data, and with your voices – asking for the Department for Education (DfE) to address the recruitment and retention crisis facing schools, and specifically our subject.
Sharon Hodgson MP and the Earl Clancarty have also raised this issue in both Houses. Together, with Marlene Wylie and Michele Gregson, they wrote to Nick Gibb MP, calling on the government to reinstate art and design ITT bursaries. The APPG Art Now report, in its recommendations, also called for bursaries to be reinstated. We are delighted that the DfE has now listened.
But, this is not good news for anyone training this year. The stopping and starting of bursaries is unacceptable. Given that some art and design teaching posts have not been filled this year, this bursary is too little too late.
Furthermore, the uncertainty around school funding following the revelation that the DfE have miscalculated student numbers will impact on retention of existing workforce as schools are forced to make savings and cut curriculum subjects, resulting in inevitable redundancies. NSEAD will continue to call on the government to fully fund our subject, our teachers and trainees.
Read the DfE bursary announcement here.
Read Nick Gibb MP's reply (1 August 2023) to our APPG and NSEAD joint letter (6 July 2023).