Pupil numbers in secondary schools are still rising, creating a need for more teachers. Added to this is the fact that schools now have more money. This means new posts are being created at all grades up to and including deputy head level.
So far, the discussion over the effects of this growth on teacher recruitment has concentrated on the overall size of the problem. However, as individual schools become clearer about their budgets for next year, so the scale of the issue is becoming more obvious to all concerned.
In the first two weeks of March, 18 secondary schools each placed block advertisements in The TES for six or more teaching posts. This total excludes new schools in the process of being set up.
Surpisingly, these 18 schools are not confined to London and the South East but are spread throughout England. The largest number of jobs contained in a single advertisement was from a school seeking 14 teachers. Two other schools each advertised for 10 or more staff. Thirteen schools advertised for either six or seven staff at once.
Such advertisements are not always from the largest secondary schools or from the so-called bog standard schools.
Schools looking to fill many of these posts are already wooing newly qualified teachers. It is at times like these, when recruitment is hard but urgent, that the value of good relationships with those who train teachers can pay dividends to schools.
John Howson
