Taryn's Story

In Harrow West, 29-year-old Taryn wanted to become a teacher in London's schools facing critical staffing shortages. Despite having the qualifications and passion for education, she found herself blocked by a system designed to fail. The Department for Education reduced teacher training bursaries for subjects with desperate shortages, while HM Treasury's spending rules force departments to compete for fixed pots as though the government that creates the pound must first find it somewhere. The classrooms were there, the graduates ready to teach were there, but Westminster chose not to connect them. This episode examines how political choices disguised as fiscal necessity are denying communities the teachers they need. Disclosure: This programme critiques government funding decisions using insights from monetary economics.