17 Teachers leaving at the end of the year - should I be concerned?

[timeismovingon]

My DD goes to an independent girls school (approx 700 pupils). She came home last night and showed me an email detailing the names of 17 teachers who are leaving at the end of the year. I was surprised for 2 reasons - firstly because this seems a lot and secondly because the email was advising pupils that there will be a collection for the teachers next week.

Anyway, I've had a look at the staff list and can see that at least 3 of the staff leaving are heads of year along with at least 2 maths teachers.

This seems a lot to me and coupled with a few other my DD has said I'm feeling a bit uneasy. I just wondered if staff turnover like this is was normal in schools. What does everyone think?

Hmm does seem a lot. Did they perhaps have too many teachers or have student numbers dropped?

I think I'd be wanting a rough idea of the reasons why they'd left before getting too concerned. Last year for example, my DD school lost 6 or 7 teachers for a school of around 450 pupils. Turned out one was ill health, one got a promotion, 2 were young and were going travelling. When you see the reasons, it's nothing too serious.

17 teachers is a huge number, yes. It is not normally so high. In an independent school, where the pay and conditions are normally a lot more pleasant for staff, I would wonder what the reason could be. They won't all be retiring or relocating.

For an independent school 17 is a huge number. I don't recall any teachers leaving in the 7 years I was at private school. There must be an issue going on that's happening behind the scenes.

I work in an inner city school and I'm pretty sure not that many will be leaving in July!

Thanks for your replys. What I'm also finding strange is that I've had a look at the staff list and some of them aren't even listed on it. They had a new head in 2015 and I'm wondering if it's related.

My DD has said that compared to other schools she's been to there is quite a bit of answering back and rudeness. I'm wondering if discipline is a problem. I havent spoken to any other parents yet perhaps that would be a good start.

A new head yes that could be a reason. I doubt answering back and rudeness is the issue - more likely to be that it's not dealt with properly.

There may be a clutch of people retiring. Young staff will move on to new roles because of life changes - we are losing two brilliant members because they've moved location and the commute is too much to sustain. 17 staff does seem a lot - is it possible that they've included peri music staff, support staff, clerical staff, cleaners, etc? Some may be supply that have been in for maternity cover.

Perhaps they are overstaffed anyway so early retirement, long term sick, etc have been encouraged to move on. Perhaps new head is bonkers and staff are voting with their feet. It is normal when you get a new head to have quite a few leaving - particularly near the top end of the school.

We lost 30 teaching staff last summer and another 20 this year (state secondary). Mixture of leaving for promotions, leaving education all together, moving away and a couple of retirements

There maybe peri music staff and others included, I don't know the staff very well. I think I will seek out other parents and see what their views are. At the end of the day as a parent, there isn't much I can do. I think the new head has probably shaken things up.

Your DD should be able to clarify what kind of teachers are leaving if you can't find them all on the staff list? Seventeen in a school of 700 pupils seems like a lot. Again, your DD may have some idea of why at least some are leaving e.g. someone may have mentioned retiring, someone may be getting married (and therefore possibly relocating). You may be able to get some handle on why so many are leaving in one go. Definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Yeah that's a lot, especially for a small school, tho of course as it's private with smaller classes that's kind of like a state school of over 1000 students....

I teach in a school of 1200 students, so a good bit bigger than your DD's OP, and a number of staff are leaving in the summer (always the case tbh that some will leave). One way or another it feels like a lot are leaving (a number of key staff including my utterly wonderful HoD ) but have just done a quick count and it's actually 9.

As others say, for a private school (presumably nicer conditions etc etc) 17 seems a lot.

17 seems a lot, I would also be concerned.

we got a new head in my L6 and the next term 10 teachers left with combined experience of about 150 years in the school. At a reunion a year ago I met one of them who confirmed that they basically all brought forward their retirement as they couldn't stand the new head.

Hi I'm Debbie and am new here. I'm an older mum 49 with a nearly 7 year old. I have older children 29-33. Today I collected my son from school and overheard the teacher talking to another parent and child about his behaviour towards my son. I heard his name so listened. She said he is a nice boy but he is different she leant towards the boy and said we do know that he's different don't we? Well I couldn't believe what I'd heard- I said do we? Because I'm his mum and i didn't know. She didn't know what to say when she saw us standing there. Thoughts please... I'm still stunned!!!!

Start anew thread to get more advice. You're at the end of someone else's here.
Sounds like you need to see the headteacher on Monday. That's strange and unsettling for you.

I think its a lot for Independent schools but not for state.

Our local high school turns over around 12 - 15 a year. They employ 80+ teachers and around 25 TA's lots are NQTs or their first role as TA so don't want to hang around forever anyway, around half have got to be fast approaching retirement age so they would go with natural wastage and new SLT/Head so lots just don't like the changes imposed.

Our Head is a serial mover. According to his LinkedIn profile (he showed it to the parents on an open evening so I'm not stalking him) he has moved jobs/house every 2 years for the last 10. Some people just don't settle anywhere for very long.

There are some years where loads leave, others less so. Quite a few linked to SLT movement, change of head.
Unfortunately, opportunities such as HOD and HOY are limited in schools and teachers inevitably have to move schools if they want to progress.
I don't think that's a huge number but I'd probably ask around anyway.