LIES, damn lies department: just why are those DFEE recruitment figures so good when everybody says there’s a crisis? The answer perhaps comes from Malcolm Wheeler - Spokey to his mates - in Aldershot, Hampshire.
Spokey is head of the Wavell School (“an effective school which is continuing to improve” he insists we write) which has at least five temporary staff,all teaching the wrong subject.
The DFEE, carrying out a survey of vacancies, didn’t want to know. The conversation went roughly thus: “Forget part-timers, temporary staff and people teaching outside their subject. Just tell me if you’ve got people to stand in front of the class. How many vacancies have you got?” “Er, none.”
Crisis? What crisis?
