Letter from the editor: Things are getting better in Britain's education system

Last week this column took as its premise a report that 40 per cent of teachers leave after their first year. When we originally reported this story it was followed up by several other newspapers, created much heat on social media, and was mentioned on Radio 4’s Any Questions.

But that statistic is false, and today I want to offer a sincere apology for getting it wrong. I also want to thank Sam Freedman, head of research at Teach First, for bringing to my attention a fine blog he wrote on our original story, which was more nuanced than I was last week. The statistic came from a press release by the ATL union ahead of its annual conference – and even it didn’t hold fast to the 40 per cent figure. Its position was 40 per cent of those who achieve Qualified Teacher Status aren’t teaching after a year – including those who qualified but never went into teaching in the first place. The true figure is harder to measure but certainly much lower.

As Freedman writes: “Exaggerating the problem through dodgy statistics risks putting off new entrants to the profession – which we really can’t afford to do at the moment given an improving economy and changes to teacher training are creating serious recruitment issues.” He is absolutely right. It was a bad error of mine not to check, for which I’m sorry – particularly because the issue is so important, and deserves accurate reporting.

Over the course of the past week I’ve been contacted both by deeply frustrated teachers and reformers who have a strong case when they say things are improving. Fear of Ofsted is a huge and crippling issue for many teachers. So too is a culture of long hours, with which we journalists can sympathise. See our Letters page today for evidence of that.

But it is also the case that teachers entering the profession are better qualified today, with 71 per cent having a first or upper second. And despite the absence of education from this election campaign, the Coalition has a proud record: a million more children are in schools that are rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted. That is a striking achievement. Put it together with the effects of the pupil premium – for which I credited David Laws, when the real glory should go to the market socialist Julian Le Grand – and you get an encouraging picture.

Talking about the election, we are just days away from a period of great drama. I said some weeks ago that this newspaper’s philosophy – truth not tribe – makes us well placed as interpreters of what’s to come. It is no exaggeration to say that the future of our country is at stake – or that our unrivalled political team will provide you with the best coverage you can buy. I hope you enjoy the serving in today’s edition.