Staffing Crisis

[BelleSausage]

Out of a strange curiosity I’ve just checked the TES to see how many posts are still being advertised: 1444!

Surely that is loads for this point in the year!

I do wonder if all the cries of ‘Get a different job then’ have actually had an effect and teachers are opting out of the shit show that will be the Sept start.

Thoughts?

Sorry, wrong filtering.

It’s actually 2338!

Each one representing a class or many without a permanent teacher.

Not sure on how it compares year on year but in my experience people aren't leaving YET. I predict a mass exodus once the economy is a bit more stable. There's been very little movement between schools anecdotally compared to previous summer terms, possibly pent up movement that will happen after Christmas or ready for Sept 2021. It'll be interesting.

Anecdotally, I know quite a few teachers leaving jobs with nothing to go to. But obviously only those who can afford to.

I too predict a mass movement of staff at Christmas.

Well I need a job but can't get one! Depends on where you are, where you want to work and your subject.

It probably does depend on subject and area. It’s interesting to see that there are 200+ English vacancies nationally and we aren’t really considered a shortage subject.

I did wonder if anyone knew the figures from last year.

We were lucky that all the staff who wanted to retire did so before Easter. But I imagine a few ‘more experienced’ members have staff have taken early retirement rather than go back.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/schoolsweek.co.uk/let-schools-hire-nqts-on-short-term-deals-to-solve-recruitment-blockage/amp/

I don’t think it is loads for this time of year. I imagine the crunch will be later in the school year as more people leave mid way through

A crisis has a way of revealing the true colours of a management team. Our SLT are nothing short of amazing but many have been exposed for the charlatans/sexist pigs/bullies they really are. It’s brought into focus what was lurking there before, and many teachers will walk as a result.

I'm not sure if people are leaving in droves at the moment but I too predict a mass exodus around Christmas!

I am fortunate that I work in a fantastic school with a brilliant head and SLT so I think we will be ok. The horror stories I hear from other schools make me cringe and I can well imagine staff jumping ship asap.

Would you say it's a bad idea to consider changing my current degree part way through to a primary education degree? I have the option to carry my credits across.... is it a really bad idea to consider going into teaching now? Or is it a good idea as there will be jobs all over....

I predict that in a couple of years there will be jobs all over. However I am NOT an expert!

What will be telling is those schools that will struggle to recruit. Some schools already have a high turnover. Those with a poor approach to Covid may find they do not get as many applicants.

I agree with Pumpkin - Christmas will be the crunch point

Absolutely dozens and dozens of TA and ain jobs in my area. Far, far more than normal. And they're certainly not all for newly acquired EHCPs

We have next to no jobs where I am in Scotland at the moment. Pretty much every single post that should have been available has been given to probationers. It’s getting desperate and I’m struggling to get a job to go to when my maternity ends in August. I’m just so worried and stressed about it all the time.

@Aria20 It depends. At the risk of sounding patronising (I don’t want to be!) do you really want to be a teacher? I’ve been teaching for nearly ten years and have met many wonderful teachers but have also met a few people who thought it would be a good idea, perhaps because they didn’t really know what else to do, but were unprepared for the realities of teaching and hadn’t really considered what the job actually was.

Teaching is a lifestyle. Your days off are dictated to you so there’s no chance to go on a friends or family holiday out of term time or go to a festival or whatever. Your working hours and the amount of things that you have to do in your free time often far exceed other professions. Of course, there are lots of stressful jobs that have long working hours, teaching doesn’t have the monopoly on that but getting people to understand that teaching can be hard, when they aren’t in the profession, can be tricky.

How much experience do you have of teaching/working in schools? Is it something you’ve considered in the past or are you just thinking about it on a whim? If it’s something you really want then absolutely go for it but I would think really carefully and base it on more than just “I’m going to change to primary education as there will be lots of jobs when I graduate”.

I personally love teaching and would say that if you’re serious then you should 100% go for it. I just think you need to really consider your motivation for wanting to switch course before you actually do it. Good luck!

@Leodot doesn't sound patronising at all. I used to really want to be a teacher but had my children young and have now gone back to study. I was a Montessori teacher and deputy head for a private prep school teaching age 3-6 so I do actually have a lot of classroom experience with young children and SEN and working term time etc. However, I didn't have a degree so couldn't easily transfer to state schools plus the Montessori curriculum and methods of teaching is very different.

I think I have decided to continue my degree as it is as then I keep my options open for the future. I have personal interest in my subject and it could lead to many different career paths. I could teach my degree subject at A level although I currently have no experience of teaching that age range or I could do a pgce in the future if I decide to go into teaching.

@Aria20 Wow you’ve got so much experience and a fantastic background in education so you sound like an ideal candidate for primary.

Keeping your options open sounds great as well. I did a degree in History and Politics as I was interested in it but then did a PGCE immediately after and became an EYFS teacher. I always knew I wanted to teach but self indulgently, I wanted to study something I was passionate about and interested in while I was young and responsibility free, as I knew I’d probably never have another chance.