England is running out of teachers

[noblegiraffe]

Or, to be clear, people who are willing to teach in schools. It has plenty of ex teachers who have vowed never to set foot in a school again.

While everyone seems to understand that you can't expect to see a doctor or dentist anymore, the message about not being able to expect your child to have a teacher anymore doesn't seem to have filtered through in the same way.

The number of cover lessons that kids are having is going through the roof. Some people think that if a kid has an adult in front of them then they are learning something, where kids know if they have a 'supply' timetabled that afternoon they are in for a doss lesson. Some people think that if a kid has a teacher for their subject that the teacher actually knows the subject being taught, which is increasingly not the case. Some people think that if lessons are being planned for those teachers and the teacher just has to 'deliver' them then that will be good enough, which is often not the case.

Exam classes at least used to be protected and given the 'good teachers', which is increasingly no longer the case, with Y11s reporting that they have a variety of supply teachers, even in core subjects.

There was a thread recently where an A-level student hadn't had a teacher for a year, wondering why the school hadn't done anything about it. We cannot magic up teachers! A-level students at my school are increasingly in the position of not having a teacher and having to teach themselves, and schools are now encouraged to put 'no teacher' on UCAS applications as relevant information for universities.

Recent threads about suggesting teachers need to be paid more to boost recruitment, or given a day off a fortnight to boost recruitment have attracted replies about teachers thinking they are special, or lazy, paid well enough already and having enough time off already.

But the education system is in crisis and something needs to drastically change as it's only getting worse.

The DfE's solution is to hire from abroad, at a time when the rest of government is seeking to reduce immigration.
https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/dfe-mulls-boost-international-recruitment

Definitely where I live. It's very much a thing; 36% in Australia. Utterly baffling in my eyes.

This!
in 1990's there used to be students in Wheelchairs , some who couldn't write because of physical disabilities, but they were mentally able and sharp.
They had 'Scribes' to write for them.
After all, Steven Hawking was physically disabled, but mentally agile.

Behavioural issues are far harder to cope with. Aggression especially and running around and social media addiction.

I should add to my rant about inclusion that I’m a parent of a wonderful autistic child. He is in a fantastic specialist provision now after much fighting. It’s 100% the right place for him and for his wonderful mainstream school (we were very fortunate compared with many) they are thrilled to see him thriving in his new school.

What’s so sad is that parents of SEN & disabled children are often desperate to get their children into specialist schools. The teachers know it isn’t the right place, the parents know, even then children themselves know. It’s a lose-lose situation as far as I can see.

Having taught myself, I feel for the mainstream teachers trying their best with sometimes 3 or 4 children who should be in a specialist school in each class with maybe a morning TA to help. All whilst having performance related pay… It’s not an easy gig. Frankly it’s a miracle so many kind and compassionate teachers are still in the profession (I left!).

If you find a good one please treat them like you would a friend who is doing you a huge favour! Shower them in appreciation and praise, write to the governors, write to ofsted. Likely as not they are on the verge of leaving.

But it is a degree apprenticeship so to finish and be qualified you will have to have completed a degree during the course.
But since schools hate NQTs they probably won’t like someone doing 4 years of training either.

I couldn't agree more,@Lilysilrose.

I went to school not that long ago and some of the other people i studied with at secondary school were awful. I am not saying all kids are awful but some of them are unruly bullies with no respect for anyone. Their parents are as bad. It is no wonder no one wants to teach them when they are violent and unruly.

Sadly I doubt you'd find it any better if you went back now, in fact probably considerably worse. The warnings have been out there for years, but as usual with those that govern us, they have chosen to ignore everything that's been said by those who work at the sharp end and see it every day. Closed ears - 'it's just teachers moaning again'.

So in practice, children will be taught for four years by an unqualified, non graduate teacher.

The support will also have to come from existing teachers, who are already struggling with workload. Mentor teachers for PGCE students are being told they must complete 20 hours of training to be able to mentor…when do they do this? Will this be the same for the apprenticeship route.

I am not totally against this route if used properly, to support people in to teaching. I supported a foundation degree student, working alongside me as a TA, to complete her studies. She completed five years as a TA before looking to qualify as a teacher, at which point she had to leave us, in school and her husband had to support her and their family. This route would have been great for her. It was a really big commitment for them to have her return to being a student.

However, we know that she is a minority. This government will drop this in as a way to address recruitment. This won't address retention as these new teachers will be ‘used’ to fill gaps, they will be cheap. Some schools/trusts will misuse them to help the budget. And meanwhile children are taught by someone learning as they go..,

Another short-sighted scheme, rather than really looking to overhaul the education system, fira children, families and staff.
Anyone remember the ‘service personel to teacher’ scheme…wonder how successful that was? Recruitment, retention? When was it quietly dropped?

I know someone who re-trained as a secondary teacher after retiring from the police (having done full pensionable service with them). He lasted just over a year after qualifying as a teacher, for all the reasons previously mentioned on here.

Haha, I found this…a success then!

And even with bursaries, not enough take up.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/rebooted-troops-to-teachers-fails-to-take-off/

Schools don’t hate NQTs/ECTs. They are cheap.

When NQT lasted a year, and supervision was light touch, and experienced teachers were staying in post tor such supervision, schools liked NQTs.

Now ECT training and supervision lasts 2 years, supervision is heavy duty, and the experienced teachers left are so overloaded that the supervision training and requirements are pushing them over the edge , schools are having to weigh up the benefits of ECTs more carefully.

When I trained, all schools took students. Often lots. Increasingly schools refuse students - quality too low, requirements on current staff too high, accountability for progress too pressing.

Fair points, @cantkeepawayforever
For most schools the money is the driving force though, and they just expect staff to suck it up when it comes to support.

My child has only been teaching 3 years, is already a head of year as few others wanted the job and the head of their subject is leaving. They told me the other day that they teaches all the higher level GCSE pupils in that subject in the gym due to not enough teachers - thats two classes and nearly 60 children.

The trouble is that, as a starting salary, it is not bad at all. But it doesn't increase in line with other professions. People who began teaching in the first decade of 2000 probably didn't realise how much their peers' salaries would increase compared to theirs, for jobs that are not essential to society. Due to the high workload and hours, if you calculate pay per hour BEFORE tax, it's something like £18 per hour at the top of the payscale (for a 'normal' teacher, not management) and living wage is around £12. So now they're not earning enough to support a family alone, while working their socks off and not seeing their family for something that is supposedly considered a valued profession, meanwhile all their friends who have less pressured, less intense and less valuable jobs get AT LEAST 50% more. There are so many aspects of teachers roles that don't benefit the children and children come to school knowing less and needing more, with more behaviour issues, educational needs, social needs - yet budgets in schools are being cut back and students are expected to make more progress to close gaps. It's insane. I totally agree with you, OP. Much more funding needed and much more incentive for teachers to put up with all the downsides.

But other professions salaries increase because their responsibilities increase. They do not increase significantly but the individual is still doing the same job as when they started.

I don't know what you mean by 'other profession's' but that is not even always true.

Experience in teaching is incredibly valuable and should be paid for accordingly.

Maybe not always true, but true in the professions I know.

eg?

@Lovethesimplethings

Agree with everything you've written.

Another thing to add, is the lack of flexibility around working hours. No WFH for a teacher and can only take holidays during peak season.

Yes to both - for many, it's the working conditions, but a lot of those people would feel more willing to put up with it if they had a comfortable salary...well, just one that makes them feel valued, really

Unfortunately, most teachers are too pushed for time to take on the extra responsibilities that come with a (small) pay increase. They are expected to take on extra responsibilities for free though which compounds the problem of no time. We're talking a few grand, not like other sectors where it would be a 10% increase or more. Additionally, much of it doesn't directly benefit children. Teachers do so much free overtime already! It is a manically busy job with a huge mental load.

Yes and the 'real terms pay' thing is constantly overlooked by people! In the nineties, teaching was hard but not unmanageable and the pay was good. They've both changed to extremes

Absolutely. At my school they advertise internal promotions and people don't apply for them. They created new Heads of Year roles, with no pay and a tiny amount of extra non-contact time. Two of the people who did apply have stepped down from the role for next year, and one is continuing but dropped another responsibility she had. It's ridiculous and unmanageable.