Gender balance among teachers 'is unlikely'

Mon 08 Mar 2010

National Primary Headteachers has expressed doubts as to whether a balance between male and female teachers can ever be achieved.

According to Chris Davis, media correspondent at the group, it is very important to ensure there is a similar number of male and female teachers in primary schools.

However, he said it is unlikely that a proper balance will ever be achieved, because the current imbalance is "so enormous".

Mr Davis was speaking after figures from the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) showed an increase in the number of men looking to become a teacher during the last year.

However, males still accounted for less than a third of the overall number of applicants.

Mr Davis said many men are being put off teaching because they are concerned about being accused of "something untoward".

He admitted this is a problem that has caused a "major fall" in the number of males seeking teaching positions in recent years.

However, he added that he hopes the TDA's findings mark a turning point which could lead to a more balanced representation of the genders in primary schools.

Stephen Hart, a solictor at Winckworth Sherwood Solicitors, commented: "All headteachers in the public sector are required to comply with the equality duty, which works for male teachers when they are in a minority as compared with their female counterparts.

"Schools should carry out regular audits of their staff to ensure that they can justify any gender imbalances."