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I have just been offered a choice of 25 guaranteed interviews for teaching positions next week.

102 replies

Nimbostratus100 · 09/05/2023 11:49

Because I am likely to resign my teaching job this June, and "word has got out". I am inundated with offers. I have just received an email from one recruiter listing 25 jobs they can guarantee me an interview for next week.

I don't have much faith in the honesty of agencies in general, but a quick google confirms the ones I have checked are genuine vacancies, and genuinely interviewing next week.

Out of the 25, if I were job hunting ( which I am not, if I stay in teaching I will stay where I am) then 20 would interest me. The other 5 or either jobs I am not qualified for, or jobs with a tricky journey.

I have other emails from other agencies, and some from schools directly.

This is the worst it has ever been. I have been subject to such aggressive recruitment before, but in previous years, only say half a dozen jobs at a time, never more than 10, at the most.

OP posts:
Haphazard8 · 09/05/2023 11:54

God this is depressing.

out of interest which stage/subjects do you teach?

Nimbostratus100 · 09/05/2023 11:57

Secondary maths.

The interviews I have been offered are 12 maths vacancies, ( including 5 HOD), and some science, history, PSHE and DT. ( some of these are also HOD) I have taught history, but no way would I be capable of being a good history HOD, and I would be a complete beginner in DT. The maths and science jobs ( including HOD) and the history jobs ( not including HOD) I would be a suitable candidate for.

OP posts:
MetaDaughter · 09/05/2023 12:14

Goodness.

May I ask a delicate question (in no way related to you, OP!)? Does this desperate need for teachers affect the quality of staff being hired?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Bluevelvetsofa · 09/05/2023 12:16

I thought you’d said you were on sick leave and weren’t going back to teaching.

GreenwichOrTwicks · 09/05/2023 12:17

The agencies are trying to get you to sign up by holding out a carrot. Naive to believe what they 'guarantee' you -it is a cut throat business they are in.

BCBird · 09/05/2023 12:18

Education is in a mess. Maths teachers like chicken teeth.

Nimbostratus100 · 09/05/2023 12:22

MetaDaughter · 09/05/2023 12:14

Goodness.

May I ask a delicate question (in no way related to you, OP!)? Does this desperate need for teachers affect the quality of staff being hired?

yes it does. Lots of people accepted for teacher training now would not have been accepted 10 years ago, and lots of cheap teachers are retained, because schools can't afford to keep expensive, experienced teachers, and lots of people pass probation who would not have done so before.

That is not to knock the teachers who are standing in front of classes now though. If they are keen to try, and want to do their best, then it is better than closing and combining classes, or setting kids unsupervised cover work.

They people who suffer most from having a less able teacher in front of the class is the teacher themselves. I have every sympathy for everyone trying to help hold the education system together

The other thing that happens is very young and inexperienced teachers go for promotion, This is partly because the more experienced teachers don't want it, and often hand it back, so there is noone else to do it.

This results in youngsters with no discernment jumping on every passing fad as if it is something new and exciting, without understanding that for many of us, we will have seen that fad recycle through the system 3 or 4 times before, and fail every time.

So this leads to conflict between keen young managers, and older more experienced staff.

When I first went off sick, I was asked to attend the weekly training online - and I said no, just send me the power points. A few months later the deputy head said I might not be understanding them without her explanations. I told her not to worry, out of the 20 or so I had read through, there was nothing new there that I hadn't been taught before ( mostly taught, then untaught, then taught, then untaught - but I didn't say that!)

She was a bit upset about that - she had really felt everything she was presenting was new and fresh, and "researched".

OP posts:
Nimbostratus100 · 09/05/2023 12:24

Bluevelvetsofa · 09/05/2023 12:16

I thought you’d said you were on sick leave and weren’t going back to teaching.

I am probably not.

I have resigned

But I have been also told that my job is still available, and I can still change my mind. I am not job hunting! But word of mouth that I am a teacher without a current position has got out.

OP posts:
Nimbostratus100 · 09/05/2023 12:25

GreenwichOrTwicks · 09/05/2023 12:17

The agencies are trying to get you to sign up by holding out a carrot. Naive to believe what they 'guarantee' you -it is a cut throat business they are in.

Yes, sometimes this is true - however, the shear scale of the number of offers, and the fact that they all check out when I google the schools, is unprecedented.

OP posts:
Nimbostratus100 · 09/05/2023 12:27

In the past, I have idly checked out a few offers from agencies, and found they were not genuine, and contacted trading standards to complain.

This is not the case right now

OP posts:
savoycabbage · 09/05/2023 12:29

I'm a primary supply teacher and almost new school I go to is asking what I'm doing next term (or week Grin) and would I be interested in XYZ.

More and more often, I am going into a class whose teacher has already gone and they can't find a replacement. Children call you 'teacher' as they have had so many different adults in their classroom.

Sometimes there will be a TA who can at least give you an idea of what's happening but often there is absolutely nothing to go on as there isn't anyone to do any planning at all.

Before covid I had only once been in a classroom where the planning hadn't been left, now it's a regular occurrence.

Nimbostratus100 · 09/05/2023 12:31

savoycabbage · 09/05/2023 12:29

I'm a primary supply teacher and almost new school I go to is asking what I'm doing next term (or week Grin) and would I be interested in XYZ.

More and more often, I am going into a class whose teacher has already gone and they can't find a replacement. Children call you 'teacher' as they have had so many different adults in their classroom.

Sometimes there will be a TA who can at least give you an idea of what's happening but often there is absolutely nothing to go on as there isn't anyone to do any planning at all.

Before covid I had only once been in a classroom where the planning hadn't been left, now it's a regular occurrence.

It is upsetting, isn't it.

I have been off since last June, and no maths teacher has been found to cover for me in that time

Poor kids

OP posts:
savoycabbage · 09/05/2023 12:44

It is upsetting. Parents have no idea how bad it is I think.

I was in a reception classroom on Friday with a new TA whose child was actually in the class. She was surprised when I knew all of the children's names and I told her I'd been in that class for FOUR WEEKS in October and she told me that she had had absolutely no idea.

The teacher had been off with stress. And I only work three days a week so they had had day to day people two days a week for a whole month.

gogohmm · 09/05/2023 12:49

Part of the issue is the cost of teacher training. It excludes many suitable teachers from entering the profession. I can't afford to not earn a salary and they got rid of the earn while your earn option, plus I don't want to take on debt at my age. I have 18 years to state retirement age, plenty of energy but the fact I got a 2:2 in the 2990's meant I wasn't a suitable candidate I was told (back then half got 2:2 or lower!)

noblegiraffe · 09/05/2023 12:52

Part of the issue is the cost of teacher training. It excludes many suitable teachers from entering the profession.

Not maths teachers. You get paid more to train as a maths teacher than you actually earn as a maths teacher. £27k tax free bursary.

RatatouilleAndFeta · 09/05/2023 12:53

MetaDaughter · 09/05/2023 12:14

Goodness.

May I ask a delicate question (in no way related to you, OP!)? Does this desperate need for teachers affect the quality of staff being hired?

My child is currently being taught by a non qualified teacher since their teacher resigned at xmas. It's a fucking shambles!

Leftoverssandwich · 09/05/2023 12:55

gogohmm · 09/05/2023 12:49

Part of the issue is the cost of teacher training. It excludes many suitable teachers from entering the profession. I can't afford to not earn a salary and they got rid of the earn while your earn option, plus I don't want to take on debt at my age. I have 18 years to state retirement age, plenty of energy but the fact I got a 2:2 in the 2990's meant I wasn't a suitable candidate I was told (back then half got 2:2 or lower!)

Have you looked into Teach First? You are paid a salary while you train. You do have to teach in 'challenging' schools though.

PhoenixArisen · 09/05/2023 12:56

This is madness. I've just had a look at the school vacancies at my dcs schools and there are so many.

Government really needs to sort this out.

IhearyouClemFandango · 09/05/2023 12:58

Wow, how many schools are there near you?!

Recruitment agencies are awful for this

RoseBucket · 09/05/2023 13:03

MetaDaughter · 09/05/2023 12:14

Goodness.

May I ask a delicate question (in no way related to you, OP!)? Does this desperate need for teachers affect the quality of staff being hired?

I know a Maths HOD who gained a third in his degree who had to resit his Maths A-Level but who was the only applicant.

savoycabbage · 09/05/2023 13:04

PhoenixArisen · 09/05/2023 12:56

This is madness. I've just had a look at the school vacancies at my dcs schools and there are so many.

Government really needs to sort this out.

I've just had a look at my dd's secondary. THIRTY NINE jobs. Then I thought 'don't panic, they will be lunchtime staff and bus drivers' so I filtered....but it was still twenty two teachers.

KnittedCardi · 09/05/2023 13:15

I know there are bursaries for training in demand teachers, but do all teachers, regardless of subject, get paid the same?

SSCCLL · 09/05/2023 13:16

I'm not a teacher but have been job hunting and it looks like every school nearby has multiple positions. Is this not normal? What's changed? My sector is similar and I have seen a masssssssive decline in the standard of staff being hired. One recently I used to work with and know is not cut out for the job, and yet they got it anyway. It baffles me!!

NotAClapper · 09/05/2023 13:27

So, which of the areas that you are an expert in, detailed in other mumsnet posts, are you going to go into instead of teaching, Mrs Rabbit?

Starplekk · 09/05/2023 13:32

But word of mouth that I am a teacher without a current position has got out.

Surely you must have signed up for these agencies at some point or have contact details somewhere that they have permissions to access though? Posted online about leaving otherwise are you suggesting recruiters spend time tracking people for Intel?