Posted by GuessWho

With many authorities declaring staff surplus in most subjects, and the threat of redundancies, why are we training new staff in numbers that will exceed demand?

Posted by Old_Pa_Grumpinuts

Basic economics: supply vs demand. Supply less than demand: seller’s market, price (pay and conditions) goes up. Supply more than demand: buyer’s market, price (pay and conditions) goes down.

Posted by davieee

After McCrone, it was expected that schools would not be allowed to have NQTs in the same subject two years running. I know of departments that have had a different NQT for the last five years.

Posted by carol75

The first year the probationer scheme changed, we had two sharing a class. This has now grown to three, each with their own class, and the teachers in post having to do 0.3 in class and 0.7 RCCT.

Posted by Spyder101

I know an LA that asked schools for help in taking on surplus probationers. One agreed, only to be told later that a full-time permanent member of staff was surplus to requirements and the school was pound;28,000 overspent.

Posted by GuessWho

Many departments are staffed with pointages resulting in compulsory transfers or, worse, authority supply work. Having worked with five probationers, I know three have not found long-term work.

Posted by pangar

For those who are rightly worried by current trends:

a) the projected number of teachers required is based on those who reach retirement age doing so;

b) the cost of living is rising and the value of a pension is falling, so many older teachers can’t or won’t retire on cue;

c) central government won’t take chances. Hence councils are forced to accept ludicrously large numbers of probationers;

d) councils feel obliged to advertise some posts as temporary, creating a conveyor belt for junior teachers.

Posted by subman68

Why are we still churning out NQTs at such a rate? 53,000 teachers at present; 3,850 PGCE next year. Is 7 per cent of your staff retiring every year for the next eight years? If not, your job is on the line.

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