Despite a spike in teacher recruitment at the start of the pandemic, it appears that recruitment levels have returned to their previous levels. With the government recruiting roughly 82% of the teachers required for Secondary schools, challenges remain in subjects which already show a significant shortage (including physics, maths, MFL and design and technology).
In some areas, this problem has become such an issue that schools are attempting to recruit parents to fill the void as a result of being unable to even find supply teachers.
This trend is nothing. Over the last 10 years recruitment targets have been missed for many teaching posts. So, why is this? And, more importantly, what can be done to reverse this trend?
Well, the pandemic has certainly played its part, with 1 in 12 teachers absent because of the Omicron variant at the beginning of 2022. In the short term, at least this means there is some immediate relief on the horizon as more teachers and students become vaccinated (and get their booster jab) and recover from Covid-19. Though only solving a tiny part of the problem, it will at least mean there are more supply teachers available in the short to medium term.
However, much of the problem remains. But why?
Highly publicised (over the last 10 – 15 years, specifically), pay and conditions certainly plays a part. Minimal rises in salary over the last decade (against a backdrop of rising costs and improving wages in sectors which directly challenge teaching for recruitment) has meant that teaching has lost much of the competitive edge it may have had in recruiting graduates. Coupled with this, potential teachers are also turned off by the levels of stress associated with the profession, as well as the profession having some of the highest levels of unpaid overtime.
The government has attempted to combat this with a workload busting toolkit and a new advertising campaign, too many potential teachers have friends in the sector or have seen the treatment teachers have received in the press. The press coverage during the TAG and CAG processes in 2020 and 2021 went someway to painting teaching as an extremely challenging career.
Additionally, funding for schools and colleges has remained relatively stagnant (in best cases) or been cut dramatically (in the majority). Schools and colleges are not always able to offer the state-of-the-art technology or even basic resources required to do the job at times.
So, what can we do about this?
Retention is the first avenue that must be visited. With so many highly qualified and experienced teachers leaving the profession each year (especially during and since the pandemic), the sector is haemorrhaging some of its best talent. This is not to say that there is an easy fix, but at the very least those who have been teaching for 5+ years should be canvassed for their views on what would improve the sector and what next steps are to be taken. Too often the views of teachers are not considered, and this would at least send a positive sign that the DfE (plus awarding bodies and Ofsted) are listening.
To compliment this, full funding and additional time for CPD would give teachers the necessary breathing space needed to continue to develop and support each other. With a Masters costing upwards of £7000, this would be welcomed. The National Professional Qualifications have recently been redesigned and fully funded for the most part – why can’t this happen for other CPD, training or qualifications?
In line with this, paying teachers a salary equivalent to other graduate roles would go some way to supporting retention and recruitment. Though this has happened in recent years, changes and rises in salary have been too little too late in most cases, and other comparable graduate roles continue to offer more competitive packages.
More than anything though, teachers want and need more time to do their job effectively. Mandating a maximum of an 18–20-hour timetable for all staff would go someway to recognising this (and giving the necessary funding to recruit to plug timetable gaps). Coupled with opportunities for collaboration and sharing good practice between schools, teachers could continue to improve and develop without the always-near threat of workload mounting or burnout.
Regardless of what next steps are for recruitment and retention, more funding is required, and collaboration will continue to play a massive part in the cycle of teacher recruitment, training and retention.
About the author
Jonathan Kay
Jonny Kay is Head of Teaching, Learning and Assessment at a college in the North East. He has previously worked as Head of English and maths in FE and as an English teacher and Head of English in Secondary schools. He tweets @jonnykayteacher and his book, 'Improving Maths and English in Further Education: A Practical Guide', is available now.