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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

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Original poster

Recruitment disaster

61 replies

Stargazing25 · 12/05/2016 21:52

What's the situation out there in different parts of the country? I'm in Greater London.

There just doesn't seem to be anyone out there applying for (Science) jobs.

If my really nice school can't find people, what hope do others have?

Politicians keep saying there isn't a crisis Are they on a different planet? The situation is dreadful.

OP posts:

rollonthesummer · 12/05/2016 21:55

There are 7 teachers leaving my large (ofsted 'Good' if it makes a difference) primary this July and nobody has applied for any of the advertised posts yet!

Original poster

Stargazing25 · 12/05/2016 21:57

I feel so sad for the children. Are they leaving teaching?

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SusanAndBinkyRideForth · 12/05/2016 21:58

I'm a science daily supply. I've had 3 schools practically beg me to apply for permanent posts and one just offer me a job like that!

I'm nowhere near London and fairly rural - I suspect it's fairly similar all over.

Maths is the same. 3 of my regular school s had either 0 or 1 applicants when they recently advertised.

Original poster

Stargazing25 · 12/05/2016 22:02

A good time to be a supply teacher!

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SusanAndBinkyRideForth · 12/05/2016 22:07

Well it's shite pay tbh, but it's in the classroom -which is what I love - with none of the crap. And now I have regular schools they trust me to actually teach my subject, not just cover. And they know I can teach other subjects as well which is fun

padkin · 12/05/2016 22:12

We recently advertised locally and in TES for a Primary class teacher, TLR for Maths lead, and didn't get a single application. Not one. Medium size school in a decent area, just having received a 'good' OFSTED....

rollonthesummer · 12/05/2016 22:15

A lot of schools around here won't pay full whack for supply teachers any more. They still use the supply agencies but are only prepared to pay CS rates-even for a qualified teacher. It could be as low as £45 per day. Because the supply market is totally saturated with teachers leaving permanent posts left, right and centre, the supply agencies can offer stupidly low rates and get away with it because people are desperate to get some (at any price) work.

leccybill · 12/05/2016 22:18

MFL dept in the north west in a Good school - can't get a teacher for love nor money!
I'm there on long term supply - I like the flexibility of supply but it's not a forever job, I need to keep paying my pension!

Original poster

Stargazing25 · 12/05/2016 22:37

Wow! That's outrageous! I had no idea about the supply situation. Choose between a terrible work life balance or awful pay.

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SusanAndBinkyRideForth · 12/05/2016 22:44

Yes that's the choice.
I sometimes think I'd be better of doing shop or barwork - at least you get employee benefits like sick pay or promotions, but actually I love the teaching.

KinkyDorito · 13/05/2016 07:06

We did recruit (northern inner city), but a number of the applicants we were getting were not qualified. We are still short for next year.

The Head was relieved as we'd heard many schools near us hadn't filled posts.

Supply here is thin on the ground too - we've struggled to get subject specialists to cover a long term absence.

Dozer · 13/05/2016 07:10

£45 day is surely barely minimum wage?

KinkyDorito · 13/05/2016 07:10

Should add, frankly I'm not surprised. We've got loads going and several will no longer be teaching. I can't say I blame them and would be off like a shot if I could, regardless of how much I love teaching, because of how ill my workload is making me. Lord knows what happened to duty of care for staff.

Letseatgrandma · 13/05/2016 07:15

Re minimum wage. At my school, you'd be paid 8.30-12 and 1-3.10 so, what 5-6 hours. That £45 may be take home pay?

Eelus · 13/05/2016 07:37

£45 for 6 hours is £7.50 per hour, so above the £7.20 hour minimum wage! If your earning £45 a day you're under the tax threshold so won't have many deductions.

Dozer · 13/05/2016 07:40

Ah, forgot about the short days. That's still very poor pay though.

t4gnut · 13/05/2016 13:23

You lot - and by this I mean all teachers - have no common sense.

If there is such demand for certain subjects in certain areas you can dictate your own conditions - be it supply, permanent or fixed term. You do not have to accept what the supply agency offers - you could negotiate your own rate with the school.

Original poster

Stargazing25 · 13/05/2016 16:39

I'm not sure schools are in a position to pay whatever people demand. Have you seen the state school budgets are in t4?

OP posts:

Tollygunge · 13/05/2016 16:41

We can not recruit either for My humanities subject. It's the same across the board for all schools and all subjects

MrsGuyOfGisbo · 13/05/2016 16:44

tg4nut
Completey agree.
That is what I have done. I am daily supply, love it for the same reasons as others have said - and have negotiated direct work with schools. I am still registered with two agencies, and keep them ticking over with a day here or there when I have a gap.
I have never been a FT teacher - did a PGCE and decided definitely did not want the hassle, so have been on supply since.
As others have said, been begged to take FT jobs, but gracefully refuse.
You are what you negotiate. I have never accepted the 'school will only pay CS rates' guff from the agencies, and have always been better paid by them than I would have got as an NQT without all the extra hassle. But direct school pay better as you get the agency uplift instead of the agency getting it.
All the state schools I go have more than one maths vacancy as well as others. Can't see how they will fill them , especially as I am often covering teachers who are off for interviews...

noblegiraffe · 13/05/2016 16:46

We recently had about two dozen applications for an assistant head position which I was surprised by because we have trouble recruiting classroom teachers. I wonder whether more people are seeking to reduce their teaching load by moving to SLT.

rollonthesummer · 13/05/2016 17:20

My school certainly doesn't have the money for this. They would prefer to pay for someone cheap to stand in front of the class.

LillyBugg · 13/05/2016 17:30

We can't recruit either. It's so hard. Interesting to hear that supply rates are dropping though, I hadn't noticed this. I might have a chat with our regular agencies now!!

GinandJag · 13/05/2016 18:58

I am a Science teacher in Surrey and I still get at least a dozen calls a day from recruitment agencies.

When I did supply last year, my take home pay was about £110 per day.

I was able to walk into a permanent job well above the pay grade no problem.

SusanAndBinkyRideForth · 13/05/2016 19:09

GinandJag I was not able to negotiate that high a rate as a science supply despite trying to play agencies off against each other. They told me schools would rather just pay cover for non subject specific.
However, now I am "known" to my local schools, and they keep asking for me by name (and offering me jobs!) I'm sure I could renegotiate or go direct to the schools if they would be willing to pay the introduction fee.
But not right now as I'm due dc#3 in a couple of months so I'm not bothered right now, but I certainly will be negotiating harder when I return to supply after. I have absolutely no desire to return to a permanent post, despite having previously held TLRs and responsibility posts. I don't want to work 60hour weeks again while I have children in my house to look after and we can afford for me not to.

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