There are now more teachers in schools than at any time since 1981 according to new official figures published by education secretary Charles Clarke.

Government Response: Department for Education and Skills

Charles Clarke said: "We have more teachers and more support staff in schools than at any time since 1981. Today's figures continue the trend of significant increases in teacher and support staff numbers since 1997.

"I of course accept that a number of schools in certain areas of the country faced difficulties last year, but today's figures confirm that the measures we have introduced to restore stability and certainty to school budgets are addressing this.

"They also categorically prove that last summer's partial surveys predicting mass teacher and support staff redundancies were wrong.

"Ofsted told us last year that we had the best generation of trainee teachers ever, and so I am particularly pleased that we have more qualified teachers entering the profession this year.

"I am also encouraged by the number of graduates currently on training schemes who are set to follow their colleagues into the profession in the near future. Teaching remains a popular and rewarding career choice attracting people of the highest calibre.

"The continuing increase in teacher numbers alongside the increase in support staff nails the lie that workforce reform is replacing
teachers."

Forum Response: National Union of Teachers

Doug McAvoy, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "The release of these figures is being spun as a success story but it conceals some disturbing facts.  The government’s decision to allow teacher numbers in primary and nursery to decline bodes ill for the future.