So if teachers are leaving in droves

[BlastedPimples]

and recruitment is very low, what is going to happen? It can't continue like this surely and education levels will suffer enormously.

Massive classes for the teachers that remain?

Huge recruitment drive to entice more people into the profession?

Entice teachers out of retirement?

Recruitment from abroad?

Not a single DT teacher trainee signed up in Surrey last year. At our school, the science teachers are teaching DT, as well as science, to keep DT going.

I was asked to teach a term in a local secondary school. (I'm a retired PTC, Scotland.) I declined.

I think that my experiences with Higher English (Y12/AS in English terms?) finished me.

We had teenagers refusing to read books for their course. We were expected to find the time to read the entire text to them.

I told pupils that if they couldn't read one book at home, then they couldn't expect to pass Higher English. There was outrage from both pupils and parents and I had my HT trying to coerce me into only teaching the absolute minimum. He encouraged my dept to do so by cutting the time allocated to our subject, whilst simultaneously demanding that we improve our results. (N.B. Our results were already deemed to be good, based on the comparator results each year.)

Well that explains it, well sort of as I'm still not sure why no one wants to live here when locally the place seems to be full of incomers. I was shopping today and I swear everyone I heard had a Brummie accent. I wondered if it was a day trip from Brum.

Academies have the highest turnover rate where I live. They burn through staff at a high rate.

DD has resigned within 9 months of starting as a secondary English teacher in her first school. I feel so sad for her but I think she was heading for a breakdown. The kids were ok but the attitude of some parents was terrifying - entitied and aggressive.

Ha...I bet they leave within a term....Everytime.

This has been happening for some time.

Your classes in the hall supervised is very continental.

We have South African teachers, a Turkish one, one of Syrian heritage, one Peruvian (although been here years). I don’t know what the answer is, particularly in my department, where everyone but me is European.

Last week, we had Year 11 Parents’ Evening, then fake OFSTED. This week, we had Year 9 Options Evening and a meeting after school and we’ve been asked to update the development plan, create an end of Year 10 exam (brand new GCSE this year for my subject, I’ve had to make new resources because some of the topics are new and the content is very different, no time given to do this, of course), create an AI ChatGPT type lesson, phone a parent whose child is ‘anxious’ about her fortnightly mini tests (no SEN, so I’ve been asked to make a referral to our Learning Support). I don’t mind phoning parents, it’s incredibly useful to chat/reassure, but imagine if it were multiples, as is often the case, I have 9 classes, there just isn’t the time in a day.

This is on top of running a foreign residential, teaching all day, obviously it’s my main job, but when I’m on duty before, after school and during lunch with no free periods, it’s all a bit much. We have new SLT this year, so tons of new initiatives which generate paperwork and extra work eg you’re supposed to log every time you see an untucked shirt/jewellery/make up. Bonkers.

I really love my (main) job, but trying to fit in everything else is not possible, much like many other jobs, I know.

Currently I’m mentoring (as well!) a retired guy who’s decided to go into teaching and I’ll take another student next year, possibly my last year. I might go part time, wouldn’t mind dropping responsibility points, then I could do more trips/extra-curricular, which I love doing.

Was this why she left - the parents? I wouldn’t have thought she had that much contact with them. I only see my DD’s teachers at parents evening!

(edited for typo)

Primary
Still hanging on in there but it's hard and it is mostly the parents. They complain about every little thing. Little Johnny didn't win a prize because he didn't engage with the challenge, his friends won't let him win every game, so he's being bullied, he hasn't been star of the week yet, he felt sad because he didn't get picked for something etc. etc. It's exhausting! I'm glad it's half term.

Different children btw. I am fair.

All parents have access to teachers email addresses. You would be shocked at the amount of emails that a teacher receives and is expected to respond to on a weekly basis. Sometimes over a hundred, and that is not an exaggeration.

It’s beyond me why anyone would want to be a teacher. It’s moved so far from imparting information and broadening children’s minds . It’s all about ticking boxes, admin, safe guarding, gender ideology and managing parental entitlement . Not to mention behaviour management . Still so many people persist in thinking it’s an easy job. It really isn’t .

Constant phone calls and emails following any minor disciplinary issue in the classroom

The concept of "education" has changed beyond belief in two/three generations. Yes, I know, the Gradgrind principle was still strong back in the 1930s and ongoing ...you know, him in "Hard Times".

"Define a cow, Smith."
"A ruminating graminivorous quadruped, sir."

But the role of the teacher was (Latin) "e- ("out"), ducere" - "to lead". To encourage children to find what was within themselves, to promote a passion for learning, the skills needed to earn a living, self-respect, as in discipline, confidence, manners and presentation. The teacher was highly respected, his/her professionalism trusted implicitly. Parents and teacher were a team, but the teacher was the captain.

An example of this was my mother and her brother, schooled in a one-room rural building in the 1930s. Farmers'/bushmen's children aged 5-13, taught by a sole-charge teacher, a cultured Englishman in the wilderness of the colonies.Every one of those children, mixed abilities, Maori and Pakeha, well-off and poverty-stricken, received a first-class education. Mr. Wills, a veteran of the Somme, taught them manners and self-respect along with spelling, mental arithmetic, reading and writing a fine hand. He played Gilbert and Sullivan on his gramophone, and on a sultry Friday afternoon, he would say "Right...I'm tired of times tables today, let's go!" And he would take the whole school down to the river to swim. He was trusted counsellor, disciplinarian, academic, friend.

This isn't pie-in-the-sky sentimental slop. It's showing how a teacher's job has always been hard, but the social pressures of today make it impossible. I would never advise anyone with the skills to do anything else to go into the profession. It's a killer, literally. And yet, people with these sort of skills are desperately needed, and are the key to making a great society. Teachers today, except in a small number of schools, are simply treated with disdain and looked down upon because they treat their profession as a vocation. The only people who count are the ones who earn big bucks and drive flashy cars-such is the measure of success today. We are destroying the fabric of our societies by crushing those who create the future citizens.

Cavete neglegentiam.

A bit like 1.5 million houses with no builders. Dream on labour.

The job has mainly changed becaue of crap parenting

My school has addressed workload really well. I'm happy with that. Pay is fine.

Pupil and parental behaviour is out of control and we have virtually no means by which to manage it.

I know so many TAs that want to teach but can't afford to train because they've been stuck on minimum wage for years being a TA. Yet they are the ones with real experience of life in the classroom, they already have behaviour management experience and a love of the job. There should be support for TAs to gain the necessary qualifications, they are already half way there. Some are much more skilled than supply that have checked out and don't care about the kids. Much better than getting inexperienced people from random other sectors to retrain that have no real idea what's its like or if they can cut it, then they crash and burn.

Whilst a good TA is worth their weight in gold (and then some), they are not 'half way there'. Short term cover, an experienced TA may be better than a supply teacher because they'll have built up the relationships with the kids. But a major part of the problem with the teacher retention crisis is giving short-cuts to teaching, and letting people pass when they really shouldn't have which means they burn out or leave. If a TA wants to train as a teacher, yes they should be supported to do so, absolutely, but not fast-tracked or anything like that as that would be a long term disadvantage.

Just thought I'd update you all with my career change...
I'm finally out of primary teaching after 20 years! Woohooooooooi! I really should have left sooner, but of course hindsight is a wonderful thing.
In January I started my new role as a 1-1 EOTAS Tutor and honestly - the reduction in stress and expectations of working outside hours has been simply incredible.
Paywise - I earn a better hourly rate than I did class teaching, but no holiday pay (except statutory) and no teacher pension. And no sick pay. I work for the LA through an agency as this is who the EOTAS contract is nearly always with.
For me, it's worth it - time is worth more than the extra money and I get to see my 4 yo little girl so much more and feel so much better mentally. Yes I do some work from home, but a tiny proportion compared to what I used to do.
And no worry of Ofsted!!
I'd say the biggest drawback for me is that at times the job does feel lonely as I don't have any colleagues. I'm looking to set up a little Tutor Social Network when I'm a little more settled in.
The job of course has it's challenges as an EOTAS student are by their very nature complex and a huge amount of patience is required, but SEN has always been my passion. It's an absolute joy to support the students and their families ❤️

I said nothing about fast tracking at all. Of course teachers should all be qualified to the same high standard. My point was, TAs that have the desire to train have more relevant experience than those retraining from other sectors but the cost to train is a huge barrier. I'd be interested to know if teacher retention is higher for those that were previously TAs than from other sectors, I wonder if this data exists. They already know the realities and the pressures that they are going to face. We'll have to agree to disagree about being half way there, I've worked alongside teachers both newly qualified and with years of experience who have been woefully inadequate and also worked alongside TAs who are incredibly skilled and far more effective and creative and passionate than some teachers.

I've worked alongside teachers both newly qualified and with years of experience who have been woefully inadequate and also worked alongside TAs who are incredibly skilled and far more effective and creative and passionate than some teachers.

Thing is, one can be more creative and effective and passionate when one is not burdened down with the soul-destroying aspects- the paperwork, marking, pointless meetings, report-writing, parent consultations, long working weekends, clubs ...the endless list.

They need autonomy to teach without the constant scrutiny. Treat them like the professionals they are. Reduce workload. Cancel unnecessary meetings get rid of league tables and Ofsted. Then you may get teacher retainment

Goodness this isn't a 'who works harder' competition. Teachers work hard. TAs work hard. The thread is about how to solve the teacher shortage and retention crisis. Supporting talented TAs to be able to undergo full training that they are unable to access financially would be a great way to boost teacher numbers. Most I know have a degree already. They are not disillusioned about what it's like in the classroom or sucked in by glossy adverts and therefore going in with their eyes wide open about the workload and the challenges, and already have relevant skills and experience, which will likely have higher retention rates than those retraining from different sectors.

TAs may not have meetings but are burdened by soul destroying minimum wage for an incredibly demanding role. The lowest ability children and those with the most challenging behaviour are normally fobbed off on TAs to deal with, plan interventions for and care for their emotional wellbeing despite this not being considered good practice and something teachers and SENCOs should manage. There is no professional development available. TAs are expected to work above and beyond their role, as are teachers. Neither teachers nor TAs are currently being treated fairly in terms of workload and mental load and pay and conditions. Supply staff do not have the burden of meetings and yet still often phone it in.