A teaching boss has invited Rishi Sunak to “walk in her shoes” – as she warned of a crisis in education.

Evelyn Forde, President of the Headteacher and Association of School and College Leaders told GB News talk of extending maths to the age of 18 is misguided because there aren’t enough teachers to deliver the objective.

Speaking to Philip Davies and Esther McVey she said: “I’ve got three things to say. I think I might start with the positive. I think we have a Prime Minister who’s actually talking about education, and the profession, for far too long under previous leaders, always felt as if it’s a bit of an afterthought. So that’s really positive.

“We have a Secretary of State for Education, who understands the importance of vocational education. She seems to get that having a broad and balanced curriculum will give people of all ages and stages the ability and opportunities for a great career. So that’s amazing, really positive there.

However, that’s where my positivity ends.”
On Mr Sunak’s pledge to extend maths she continued: “I think it’s really important that the government sets out the evidence for extending maths for all students to the age of 18 because the changes will be affecting all generations, for years to come. So, where’s the evidence to suggest that that’s the right way forward?

“But the most important thing, and this is why school and college leaders, I believe, are up in arms, is we cannot recruit for love nor money. The recruitment and retention crisis are really, really stressful in schools at the moment.”

She added: “I believe our Prime Minister is a bit misguided. I’d like him to come and walk in my shoes. I’d like him to look at my cover list, because if I haven’t got substantive teachers, I’m trying to get supply teachers and then I can’t even get supply teachers. How on earth are we in the profession going to be able to offer maths to 18? I think talking about education is great, but the fact is we have a recruitment and retention crisis. Help the profession by actually getting more teachers into the classroom to teach not just maths but history, geography across the board. It is extremely difficult to recruit and retain teachers in the profession at the moment.”