Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

School - can’t get staff or volunteers

106 replies

Mactaser · 12/03/2023 10:08

Outstanding primary school in a ‘very noice’ part of town.

Currently the school can’t get anyone to chair the PTA despite numerous requests.

Similarly, school struggled to replace outgoing governors, nobody ran and several people were approached before they found someone.

Staff turnover is high across all areas.

Is this a post-Covid phenomenon that is impacting all schools?

OP posts:
Whatisthisanyidea · 12/03/2023 10:11

No it’s shit management.

Poor pay for incredibly violent children, complaining parents and no support - Better paid private careers - with overtime, flexi time and bonuses -

Every industry is desperate for staff and pay Bette wages.

In left recently and haven’t been attacked, called names, sworn at or been completely knackered but he end of the week - my social life has pick up and I’m paid £40 double time for a few hours on a Saturday morning.

Meandfour · 12/03/2023 10:15

Mactaser · 12/03/2023 10:08

Outstanding primary school in a ‘very noice’ part of town.

Currently the school can’t get anyone to chair the PTA despite numerous requests.

Similarly, school struggled to replace outgoing governors, nobody ran and several people were approached before they found someone.

Staff turnover is high across all areas.

Is this a post-Covid phenomenon that is impacting all schools?

I don’t think it’s affecting all schools, no. Many, sure, but not all.
My SIL is a school manager and recently had over 60 applications for an admin position. She’s worked there for over 15 years and all the teachers have been there a long time bar one who replaced a teacher who retired last year. I only know this as my DH and his much younger brother went to that school and the teachers there now taught him when he was in primary.

Im sure this cannot be the only school like this. One of my friends is a teacher and has just got her 10 years in post award. She’s worked with the same bunch for most of her time there.

ArtixLynx · 12/03/2023 10:20

as someone qualified as a teaching assistant, i've given up trying to apply because the schools around here keep giving the positions to volunteers so they don't have to pay them.

Bakingwithmyboys · 12/03/2023 10:29

High staff turnover is worrying. It would make me wonder what the management was like. Just because it's outstanding doesn't make it a great place to work.

I was involved in a PTA but it recently folded as no one had the time to be the main roles. Just how it happened.

A shame about the governor's but again, it's time in the evening and some of the day given. It's a lot to take on.

JanglyBeads · 12/03/2023 10:34

It’s affecting all schools from what I know.

We’re a high performing, generally very well behaved secondary, and can’t get applicants for non teaching or some teaching jobs for love nor money. Well, it would help if there was more money on offer…..

CoffeeWithCheese · 12/03/2023 10:35

Round here most of the PTAs fell apart during Covid and once the momentums gone with something like that it's much harder to get it going again - plus the way our then-school behaved over covid and key worker places and the like - the goodwill's gone so I've swerved the PTA ever since.

noblegiraffe · 12/03/2023 10:36

Applicants for Primary teacher training are down 15% from last year, which is unprecedented. If a struggle to recruit isn't affecting your school yet, chances are it will soon.

Secondary has been a binfire for recruitment for a few years now.

noblegiraffe · 12/03/2023 10:37

Teachers are already striking, school support staff are about to be balloted again.

Do people not make the connection?

JanglyBeads · 12/03/2023 10:37

@Meandfour over 60 applicants? What area? What level?

PaigeMatthews · 12/03/2023 10:39

One of my friends is a teacher and has just got her 10 years in post award.

what’s a 10 years in post award?!?!

Doremisofarsogood · 12/03/2023 10:40

It's not just schools, I work in FE and it's the same. As a poster above said, poor behaviour, little or no support, parents blaming everything on staff rather than their little angels. Good staff are leaving and it's impossible to recruit replacements. It's pretty dire out there.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 12/03/2023 10:41

I got nothing for my 25 years in service last year.

NoCatsToday · 12/03/2023 10:43

Most of the roles you are talking about are volunteer roles. I think that volunteering in general is going through a bit of a crisis. Firstly post covid people have fallen out of the habit of helping secondly COL demands mean that people have less time and energy to give.

bibbybox · 12/03/2023 10:44

where is the school? i know in some parts of London rolls are falling & obviously with funding based on head counts & increased bills many schools are struggling to survive.

I also think demographics have shifted in certain areas so there may be less mums happy to take on crappy pay TA roles because they either don't have dc or can work in a remote job or higher paid one.

noblegiraffe · 12/03/2023 10:44

Just because someone knows a teacher who has been in the job a long time, that doesn't mean that there isn't a serious recruitment and retention issue in teaching.

School - can’t get staff or volunteers
bibbybox · 12/03/2023 10:44

also higher col means more parents working & more f/t or more so no spare time.

toomuchlaundry · 12/03/2023 10:45

Getting volunteers in school to help with reading etc is picking up since COVID, getting volunteers for committee type roles eg PTA, governors is a nightmare. Also hard getting volunteers for things like Scouts, some sections having to close (hopefully temporarily)

Schools struggling to fill vacancies for admin/TA roles which used to be inundated with applicants as soon as advertised. Nowadays both quantity and quality are a problem. However, with issues with school budgets many of these roles will be reduced/removed anyway

noblegiraffe · 12/03/2023 10:47

Schools are struggling to recruit admin and support staff because they can only pay pitiful wages and people can earn more working in Aldi.

The term time only aspect used to be a big draw, but in the new era of WFH and flexible working, it's far less important.

MrsHamlet · 12/03/2023 10:47

We have been trying to recruit support staff in a variety of roles all year. Very few people are interested.

bibbybox · 12/03/2023 10:48

Schools are struggling to recruit admin and support staff because they can only pay pitiful wages and people can earn more working in Aldi.

The term time only aspect used to be a big draw, but in the new era of WFH and flexible working, it's far less important.

and losing that pro means the only way to make it more attractive is higher wages.

CremeEggThief · 12/03/2023 10:50

No I don't think it's necessarily a post-Covid issue. Not many people have the time, energy and inclination to join the school PTA.

It was definitely an issue, trying to get people to join and attend meetings at both primary schools in two different parts of the country that DS attended and he started in 2007.

I ended up being the PTA secretary for his last year at primary, as they couldn't find anyone else and I was friendly with the Chair , so ultimately I caved in and did it as a favour and was incredibly grateful it was only for a year!

Piggywaspushed · 12/03/2023 10:51

Meandfour · 12/03/2023 10:15

I don’t think it’s affecting all schools, no. Many, sure, but not all.
My SIL is a school manager and recently had over 60 applications for an admin position. She’s worked there for over 15 years and all the teachers have been there a long time bar one who replaced a teacher who retired last year. I only know this as my DH and his much younger brother went to that school and the teachers there now taught him when he was in primary.

Im sure this cannot be the only school like this. One of my friends is a teacher and has just got her 10 years in post award. She’s worked with the same bunch for most of her time there.

Show quote history

Ten years in post award?

What's that!?

NoSquirrels · 12/03/2023 10:52

Struggles with teacher recruitment are well documented - it’s part and parcel of why they’re striking, after all.

PTA Chair is an exhausting thankless task (not that I’m traumatised, or anything) and having 3 school governors past/present in my immediate family, that’s also a massive timesuck with huge responsibility attached for a voluntary position. It’s no surprise that post Covid no one fancies either, in my opinion.

dumpbag · 12/03/2023 10:55

I wouldn't chair a PTA if you paid me.

Been there done that got the scars

chronictonic · 12/03/2023 10:56

Our 'nice' area in London school is in exactly the same position PTA wise.

It's such a shame.