My kids' school seems to have a rapid turnover of teachers - is this normal?

[Zog]

There was a new Head three years ago and as expected, a lot of staff turnover in her first year. However, two years later, staff members are leaving who the new Head has recruited. Is this normal? I suppose I'm comparing it to my own primary school days where teachers seemed to be around for a good few years but I really think the lack of stability and consistency is taking its toll.

Also, our school has split age classes, plus streams for English and Maths and has job-sharing teachers as well. Again, is this normal? It seems an awful lot of different teachers for 5+ year olds to cope with?

Any thoughts appreciated

How many pupils in the school?

300 - it's a combinsed school 4-11 with an intake of 45 per year (hence the split classes)

I would suspect poor management. At all the schools my DH has worked in where there has been a high turnover of staff, this has been the case.

Or it could be that they don't like my DH, I suppose

Also partly depends on where you are - in London turnover is fairly high because it is for many a transitional place. It does sound difficult though, and a lot for the children to cope with. How many teachers does that translate into for your child?

Hmm, this is what I'm suspecting. I would have thought that a new head would have built the team she wanted by now and of course you're going to get some teachers leaving for whatever reason but not all of them, surely?

My DSs once attended a primary school with a fairly high turnover (and a 45 per year entry). The turnover was largely due to the school being so successful and full of motivated staff that they were able to get deputy headships in record time!

unlike in our day primary teachers are encouraged to change jobs after two-three years to widen their experience

We're in the Home Counties. Ds (Year 3) has had 6 different teachers this year, dd1 (Year 1) has done better with only 3!

Is that right UD? Can't they get experience within the same school though e.g. teaching different age groups?

No turnover at DD's school (there hasn't been in the 3 yrs shes been there and for a few years before that I think?). Even the supply staff are the same 2.

Its a small school though (approx 150 pupils), excellent OFSTED, all-round great atmosphere and the sort of place where the teachers and pupils actually seem to have fun!

that does seem quite high turnover, could be that the head hasn't found the right teachers for the job, and they aren't on permanent contracts? so they leave?

nothing wrong with jobshare, that wouldn't interfere with their teaching (it shouldn't)

friend's DD said it was suggested at their training college mainly after the first job
also in london the younger teachers can't afford decent accomodation so happy to rough it for a year or so until they find a job where they can make a home

job share is very good in for years 5 and 6 (especially if they have different areas of expertise) and a good preparation for secondary school where they have a dozen teachers

OK, talk to me more about the positives of job sharing. From my POV, it just seems to mean that one of ds's class teachers only has him for one afternoon a week, so doesn't really know him IYKWIM? Should there really be little difference between having one class teacher and two? But what if those teachers don't teach children in their class at all for English or Maths? Is this now just the way it is in bigger schools?

TBH, I wouldn't mind the streaming so much if there wasn't this constant change in teaching staff.

we have had several job share teachers,
you might get one who is more maths/science other more literacy, or sometime a pe/art/drama and academic split, a reception class may split with a youngish teacher into early learning goals with an older person who does lots of stories
sometimes it is for employment reasons so when one teacher was unwell so could only manage a short week (she was very good the days she was in) and another teacher came out of retirement to cover her bad days)
ours have worked very well and have communicated well between the pairs and it does mean that some very good teachers have been able to combine teaching with the best for their own families
sometimes if you get one bad teacher having the share means the year is then not wasted (have had some very bad teachers in past)

Interesting UD - are you a teacher yourself? Do you have experience of streaming at such a young age?

we have 45 intake and streaming, witht about 4 teachers involved for my y2 dd. from our pov it works v well, one teacher does literacy, another on games or music etc. it keep her day interesting and means if she does not like a particular teadcher she is not stuck with them 5 days a week.

no but have large family going/gone through system and have lots of friends who are teachers

our primary now streams for maths (DD happens to have usual teacher and DS has teacher from other class) yr1 DD is in groups for literacy but there is a very wide ability range. She likes it when they have a different teacher to cover training days

OK, so maybe I need to concentrate one the reasons behind the turnover, rather than the number of different teachers in a week. How many teachers tend to leave your schools each year and how long do they stay for?

where friend's ds attends there is about 50% turnover each year but the school gets fantastic sats and terribly high standards but headteacher comes down hard on teachers to get these results from a mixed intake so they leave

may get a school with adequate standards but teachers and children are happy so everyone stays

Hmm, we don't have fantastic SATS but I suspect the Head is pretty hard on her staff. Thanks for your help.

Any more thoughts, especially from teachers?

Anyone?