Much of the recent discussion on teacher recruitment has been about the extent of vacancies for classroom teachers. The number of these posts is determined partly by funding and partly by whether school rolls are rising.
The total number of senior posts in schools, on the other hand, is much more stable and is only affected by amalgamations, closures or the creation of new schools.
In January and February there were more than 1,500 advertisements in The TES for senior staff posts. These included 630 advertisements for headteachers, almost exactly the same as last year’s total for January and February, and well above the average for these two months.
There was an even greater number of adverts fo deputy heads. Some of these adverts will have been the result of deputies promoted to fill the larger than average number of headships on offer during last term.
There were also nearly 200 adverts for the new grade of assistant headteacher created when the new leadership spine was introduced in September.
There are still some difficulties in filling senior posts. Of the 358 headships advertised for the first time in The TES in January, 32, or approximately 9 per cent, had been re-advertised by the first Friday in March.
Providing the number of new senior posts on offer levels out, there should still be sufficient numbers of applicants, a happier picture than for classroom vacancies.
