AIBU to think this level of staff turnover is high?

[MerryMarigold]

2 classes per year. 7 years ie. 14 teachers.

Last year 7 teachers left (one was not classroom based)
This year at least 4 (that I know of)

Is this normal for a school of that size?

This is a supposedly outstanding school. I've had my doubts for a while about how outstanding it really is (not at all, in my opinion). My daughter has had 5 teachers in 2 years. This year Y3 had 2 NQTs ie. no-one who had taught Y3 before. Next year one of the Y3 teachers (ie. just finished her NQT year) is moving to Y4 (she is very good) and working with an NQT. I would have thought they would need at least one more experienced teacher in each year.

The Head seems to be ridiculously biased in favour of young NQTs (no mature NQTs, oh no).

So anyway, is this on? Who would you complain to? I think the Head is pretty dire and I imagine the high staff turnover is his fault as well as the management of year groups.

[Doomhutch]

My school is 3-form-entry (25 class teachers as some are PT), and two are leaving this year. Last year 3 left.

I still think the numbers in the OP are high, whatever the reasons given. It could just be bad luck, but half the teachers leaving last year?

[eeyore2]

Yes this is high turnover. The governors will know about it and with any luck with be looking closely into it. I would hope the governors would conduct exit interviews or exit questionnaires with the departing staff to understand what's going on here, and maybe conduct an anonymous staff survey too. You may wish to speak with the staff governor to ask what the governors are planning to do here.

[MerryMarigold]

Oh thanks. I didn't think of a staff governor.

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

Sometimes high turnover can be a sign of staff being unhappy with the SMT, or being edged out by a demanding new head who wants to replace experienced and established staff with ones they can groom to do everything their way.

Sometimes it's coincidence. I once worked in a juniors only school. 8 classes. One July we were advertising 4 teaching jobs. Staff in other schools asked what was going on and I know it put some people off applying because they though something was suspect.

It was just coincidence. 3 teachers had reached retirement (or early retirement) age and one had, sadly, died suddenly. To add to it, I was going on maternity leave, so after the summer hols it was more than half of the teaching staff that had been replaced in one go.

[MerryMarigold]

Got the letter. Always comes out penultimate day of school! There are 7 staff leaving, but I think 'only' 5 are teachers.