SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND FACE A DEEPENING PROBLEM IN RECRUITING ENOUGH TEACHERS, HEAD TEACHERS ARE WARNED

So once again we have the same issue being quoted by the NASWUT of a teacher shortage. I wrote a previous blog on the deepening crisis of teacher recruitment in schools and how the Government is burying its head in the sand regarding the issue (I RECENTLY WOKE UP TO THE FOLLOWING HEADLINE…)

The Department of Education churns out the usual data to counteract this argument; numbers of teachers are at “at an all-time high” “rising numbers of graduates entering the profession”………

Unfortunately Mr Gibb (Minister of Schools) you may not like the word ‘crisis’ but we need to be realistic; Do you really know the state of play today?

As Director at Teachers today I see the ‘crisis’ at first hand in many of the Sussex schools I visit and work in. I have been a teacher for 18 years (5 in leadership) and I’m sad to say that this is the worst that I have seen it.

We know the reasons for this crisis are:

• Excessive workload with teachers working more than 60hrs per week
• Negative attitudes towards the profession
• Low morale
• Extra pressure on Senior leadership teams to hit targets
• A data driven system
• Lack of clear Governmental strategy to retain teachers and promote the profession
• Pay freeze

While watching the BBC news I was shocked to see that some teacher training courses are coaching teachers on how to deal with stress. Of course this very important and extremely valuable, but is this really going to entice people to the profession? Would this be an attractive module to take knowing what the future may hold? Maybe there is an inherent problem with our system that needs addressing urgently! 

National data suggests ‘The number and quality of teachers in our classrooms is at an all-time high’. I do agree with this statement in part, there are some amazing teachers working extremely hard for pupils in our Sussex schools. However, I also know of many good teachers that have left permanent positions to enter the supply world for, less stress, less marking and data trawling and a focus on teaching to facilitate learning.

Teachers today has recruited some excellent staff that have lost trust in a system that constrains them from what they do best, from being able to inspire and teach.

So how many ‘Good’ teachers are really left in the classroom today? What is the data on ‘Good to Outstanding teachers’ leaving the profession? I don’t think that the Government would want to report this figure!

This is what the current system has created, staff leaving and turning to agencies to improve their work life balance.

So the question is, will I be writing blog after blog over the next 1, 2, 5 or 10 years on the recruitment crisis in our schools? With the increased numbers of students entering the school system over the next 10 years we will be at breaking point. If the government continues to mask reality we will have more than a ‘crisis’ on our hands.