Shortage of teachers

[muminlondon]

Michael Gove has washed his hands of planning for the future

Estelle Morris article - she makes a really good point that leaving teacher training up to schools is not working because it is not their core business. (It's a bit like leaving careers education up to schools when all they can offer are A-level courses not apprenticeships.)

So we have a shortage - three-quarters of trainee physics teacher places are unfilled.

Is there a shortage though?

I can believe that we're short of a few specialities. But everything else I've seen indicates the opposite and is bewailing how qualified teachers cannot find posts.

Yes it's a big problem. Maths and physics are in dire shortage. There had been some progress made to solve the problem over the last few years - additional routes in to teaching, longer courses etc. But this year has been a disaster thanks to 'leaving it to schools'. Even secondary subjects that traditionally recruit well have struggled. If this continues, university teacher training departments will close and it will be very difficult to go back to the told system.

Primary is a bit different, there was a bit of over recruitment in recent years (bad planning) but as the primary role grows I imagine it will become a problem

specialist secondary subjects such as the sciences (particularly physics/chemistry), maths, computer studies are struggling

if the terms, conditions, pay, pensions, constant uneducated changes continue to happen then you will find that every subject will be suffering shortage

Also depends on the area of the country. In the south east (where I am) there is more of a shortage as the teaching salaries just aren't competitive and house prices are so much higher. I hear stories of some London schools having science departments filled with supply teachers, although not sure if that is really the case.

I had a horrific teaching placement at a school that now offers a GTP type placement.

I can honestly say I would have walked out if I had spent the whole year training there. It was in a rough area and worked wonders with the children, but as already pointed out so much time was spent on the children (rightly so), I was more of a verbal punchbag to vent frustrations on, and support was given as frustrated criticism after, rather than constructive feedback on plans before I actually taught them.

Universities still have to accredit schools to award qualified teacher status - is that right? If they shut their departments the whole system would collapse.

My outstanding leafy middle class comp struggles to recruit maths teachers. One round recently we didn't get any decent applicants and had to re advertise. It's not just challenging schools that have problems. I know one school that recruits from abroad to plug the gap.

Yes, as I understand it the universities retain some semblance of authority because they are awarding the degree.

The school I was talking about was a "valued partner" school (with my university).

I love my job (primary) - I have toyed with teaching English to secondary school pupils, but I just can't stand the idea of teaching 30 13 year olds, the vast majority of whom do not want to be there. I have so much respect for secondary school teachers, particularly in less popular subjects, but I just can't see any solution to encourage more people into it (short of offering vast amounts of money, which isn't practical and might not attract the right candidates).

In Computer Science Secondary ITT, only 67% of places were filled and that included a £25,000 bursary incentive for Computer Science degrees. I believe this is something to be concerned about.

Other areas we struggle in are MFL. In my school MFL teachers tend to flit in and out. And a good business studies teacher who actually knows the spec and do proper assessment ... Oh and a psychology teacher, a music tech teacher and a geography teacher. They all need to deliver specs, do assessment AND manage classroom behaviour. We are in leafy suburbs and are struggling to recruit.

No wimps, time-wasters, or 8.30 to 3.30 types please!

I'm training to be an English secondary teacher in a school based programme this year (School Direct - the current incarnation of GTP). Possibly my school is an exception but it is a specialist training school and I feel so well supported. Tons of training, observations and feedback, and I'm required to do a lot of reflection and study as well. It's really challenging work but I'm enjoying it. I don't imagine that all schools are so well equipped to support trainees though.

BBC news: Universities 'bail out' new teacher training scheme

The Schools Direct scheme has been only 68% subscribed and universities have had to increase places at the last minute (but departments are still facing uncertainty and are under threat). Shortages in subjects such as maths, science, MFL, D&T and computer science have increased but schools have over-recruited on arts subjects like history. This is why Gove is desperately hoping unqualified teachers will fill the gaps.