Teach First鈥檚 contract has been extended for another two years, despite missing its targets as the teacher recruitment crisis worsens. The flagship teacher training provider admitted 鈥渟ignificant recruitment challenges鈥� last year when taking on 1,394 recruits, missing its target by a fifth. Teacher recruitment overall was 40 per cent below target. The charity lost 拢2 million in bonuses with its recruitment branded 鈥渋nadequate鈥� by the Department for Education in its key performance indicator monitoring. It was rated as “good” against three other government targets. The programme recruits the 鈥渂est and brightest鈥� graduates and career changers who could be 鈥渉ighly skilled teachers and leaders鈥�. Teach First鈥檚 contract until October 2027, taking the overall grants it will have received since 2021 to 拢169 million. But it must still recruit 1,750 trainees each year in 2024 and 2025 for the two-year courses. Meanwhile, afor the contract after 2027 has been launched. MPs launch teacher recruitment and retention inquiry The DfE said it was 鈥渒een to gain market insights and understand market capacity, capability and interest鈥�. It is also 鈥渞eceptive to understanding alternative and innovative solutions鈥� outside the current delivery model. Prospective bidders are being asked what they think are the 鈥渕ain barriers to enter and operate in the market to attract, train and develop鈥� high-flying teacher trainees with leadership capacity. They are also asked how attractive the existing Teach First model is. Teach First declined to comment. But it previously said it was 鈥減roud鈥� of last year鈥檚 numbers 鈥済iven the significant recruitment challenges the whole sector is facing鈥�. A new autumn institute, which it piloted last year, will re-run this year. The charity is also operating in a much tougher market. A recent report from High Fliers Research found four top graduate employers offering starting salaries of more than 拢50,000 this year, while a quarter of the top 100 employers were offering salaries of more than 拢40,000. Teacher starting salaries are currently 拢28,000 outside London. Teach First has previously called for the government to offer a 拢5,000 recruitment bonus for teachers who work in the most deprived areas 鈥渢o ensure the profession remains competitive鈥�.