How many teachers are you losing this year?

[TrulyTurtles]

Is it worse this year than other years? Our school has lost someone from all but three departments this year, two (potentially three)from one core subject, one from another, and three from other subjects. One is just jumping ship, one is taking a significant step down, another is going back into research. The list of applicants isn't huge, so we are all very worried. Ours is a school of about 700, so is that proportionate?

[TrulyTurtles]

Sorry, that's 6 altogether.

[MrsUltracrepidarian]

Depends - in London - yes. Lots of churn, people come and go, something in the water maybe people tend to change around for lots of reasons - partner job, new partner location, housing issues, own DC schooling, aged parent in far-flung locations etc.
So would not be unusual here. Lots of applicants for jobs here for the same reasons.

[CtrlAltDelicious]

We're a school of 550 and losing 3 members of staff this year. However, our recent job advert attracted almost 50 applicants. My previous school, which is going through a terrible situation, recently had a job advertised which attracted 4 applications. All from current students while the job is for an experienced teacher and holds a TLR.

[sassytheFIRST]

School nearby has a dictatorial new Head. 31 staff have handed In resignations out of a total of 85odd. Most don't have a post to go to.

[QueenofLouisiana]

A primary school of 300, we are in SM, but likely to come out soon. E have lost 3 teachers since September, losing 3 more in July. Also had 3 temp contract teachers in this year. I wonder if the parents of kids I teach are just glad that I turn up (pretty much) every day.

[TheFillyjonk]

About 17, and rising... Our staff is small below, we have under 150 staff members as the school is only four years old. Of that staff, only a handful of original members remain. The turnover is bloody awful - the workload is too much, expectations are cooked up in dreamland and SLT don't give a toss. Also, the head employs NQTs to save money and then is surprised when they go on to another school after a year. Staff leave all the way throughout the year and many have actually left the education system...

[TheFillyjonk]

• as well, not below

[CharlesRyder]

Actual nobody. Out of 80. That's what a good Head can do for you.

My last school had 16 newbies going in for September just on the teaching staff. Don't think anybody counted the support staff!

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Loads. And growing. Rapidly approaching 10, I believe. We 're a relatively small secondary. More telling is the fact that when they advertised my maternity cover job (September start) we received absolutely no applications!

[TrulyTurtles]

Was just going to ask if your slts tend to appoint nqts because they can be "moulded" are cheap? Knowing where the shortages are I despair in us finding suitable candidates. (One is hod in a shortage subject)

[MrsUltracrepidarian]

I am supply teacher, and can recommend it.
Teach all day - in the classroom, why we all went into teaching.
Lots of repeat work, so get to know the students, so do see progress, build relationships etc.
Secondary, so no planning, marking, tutor groups, parents' evenings or other pointless meetings.
Arrive at 8.30ish - go home at 3.15, spend evenings reading, talking to my own DC, going out, watching TV, gardening, doing nothing.
All the good stuff, none of the dross.
Come and join me!

[RiskManagement]

We're 600 children and are losing just one and TBH that's great news for all concerned (including her)

We've recruited 4 new teachers, no NQTs although we have 6 teachers who were NQTs in the last 3 years.

[HagOtheNorth]

You don't mark work?
Is that usual in a good secondary supply teacher?

[MrsUltracrepidarian]

Yes, is not usual to mark in secondary unless in long term supply ( which is like permanent but without the security).
If you are day-to-day supply and get a good reputation you go back to the same schools repeatedly but work is set, and no marking is required.
Primary is different (which is why I don't accept primary supply). Even on daily supply primary 'requires' deep marking - pointless as you don't the chn and have no way of following up their comments on your marking etc...
Even tho' I have no primary experience, I was suckered into persuaded to do some from my agency. I loved the kids, they asked for me back, but the marking workload is ridiculous, so now I only accept bookings in secondary.

[PandaMummyofOne]

We have four main campuses and four 'mini' sites, and have to loose over half our staff. Everyone of us has to reapply for our jobs, under a different role name same old friendly service though for half the money

[todgerthedodger]

16 teachers - 8 are leaving in July. We still have to appoint 4 but no-one is applying. I'm worried.

[Redlocks28]

School nearby has a dictatorial new Head. 31 staff have handed In resignations out of a total of 85odd. Most don't have a post to go to.

Wow! How many of those 31 are teachers? Are some support staff?

Can imagine if 30 odd job adverts go in the paper all at once for your school, people will start to think...!

[leccybill]

7 teachers are being cut and over 20 support staff/TAs in 900 pupil secondary school.
Class sizes are increasing (30 in every set, top to bottom) and older, more expensive teachers (like me) had their working conditions made awful to encourage us to leave.

I would never, ever advise anyone to join the teaching profession. Not in a million years.

[sassytheFIRST]

Red locks - yup, interesting times... Glad I don't work or have a child at that place. Friends who do work there are both trying to leave as well.

[toomuchicecream]

My previous school has been advertising for all teaching posts apart from 1!!! Slightly unusual circumstances in that the HT has been on mat leave and is coming back part time. As the DHT was acting HT they've got themselves a permanent HT position, so the Govs are advertising for a part time co-head. One teacher didn't return from long term sick leave, I left because I had a promotion and the outgoing DHT was in class 4 days a week so that's a vacancy too. Not good at all, considering how hard it is to recruit round here.

They had to try 7 agencies before anyone was found to replace me. Someone was eventually found the day before we broke up for Easter. In the first week back, she only arrived before the children once, and when my lovely TA spoke to the Acting HT she was told that nothing could be done about it as there isn't anyone else who wants the job...

(My current school has no vacancies and isn't recruiting. At Easter I replaced someone who had got a promotion. 2 part time teachers left at the same time - one was replaced internally and one with an external candidate).

[Zippidydoodah]

My school has lost 3 so far. One going on mat leave soon and I am resigning before the deadline (bet I'm not the only one, either!) it's a primary school.

[fortunately]

How is it that some positions get no applicants but my friend looking for a permanent primary class teacher position (5 yrs experience in a good school) can't get a job? 90 to 100 apply for each position and she's had 6 interviews but got none..?

[ValancyJane]

I teach Science and we started the year with nine teachers in my department (one of whom was a long-term supply who had been appointed). Of those nine; one left at Christmas (and was replaced with a supply who rings in sick about 50% of the time), one left at Easter, the long-term supply teacher left at Christmas and was replaced with another long-term supply, one handed in notice with no job to go to (but has since found one), one has a new job, another one is actively looking and has an interview on Monday, and one has been off on long-term sick and probably won't come back. It's just me and another colleague who are likely to be staying... and I was looking, and am now staying put as if all goes well I'm off on maternity in January!

We have two jobs advertised at the moment to replace two of the above, and apparently none of the candidates seem great, we are really struggling to recruit.

Science aside, I know of at least ten people in the wider school who are going in the summer, and I'm sure there's a few who are just keeping it quiet. Five went at Christmas too, some just leaving teaching, which is quite sad really.

[TrulyTurtles]

Well we now have two more on interview in the next few days.
I manage cover in our school, and i needed to find a core teacher. I phoned and emailed every agency in this part of the world and could only find an NQT that lasted 4 weeks. One of our vacancies is in that department.

[Jumpingshipquick]

Name changed! Just in case. we also have a new dictator who brought her team with her and obviously had a hit list from the RI Ofsted report. So now the deputy is off on long term sick, she's restructured to force people out, made 7 redundancies that people fought to get rather than avoid and if they didn't get it resigned any way. There's never been so many people off on long term sick and everyone else who wants to leave can because there are plenty of jobs and no one wants them. Nobody applied for my job, the job I went for at a good school nearby they only interviewed me, same for the maths post at my new school, they can't cover the second in English in the current school.

New witch head came in with the attitude that if we'd been there ages we were rubbish and old guard and was happy to wave us off assuming she'd just get someone in she could brow beat into following her 'vision'. I feel grimly vindicated she can't recruit anybody, but feel very bad for the school.

Oh, and guess what? It's not any better for results, and certainly not a better place for the kids.

This time last year I think two people were going- both retirements. So sad, and all for nothing. We used to have fun and look after each other. Now it's all emails and snitching and bitching. Horrible.

If it turns out the same in the new school, I'm leaving teaching.