You have got to attract the brightest and the best, but the brightest and best won't stay unless they see real career options.

By creating useful job descriptions and making clear what qualifications should be expected, the Department aims to help improve schools' ability to recruit the right people.

I do recognise that, where recruitment difficulties persist, teachers can be put under great pressure.

My focus and that of all members of the Government responsible for delivering services to the public is to make sure that the public sector can use all the skills it needs to do the job the public wants it to do.