Primary School teacher vacancies

[Lmagic]

Can anyone tell me it gets easier!!

My husband graduated last July with a First class Degree in Primary Teaching. We were both over the moon but for some reason he can't seem to get a job. He's had 5 interviews last year and 3 this year and he doesn't get offered the job at the end. The feedback he gets is like they pick hairs and it's nothing substantial, more like they're struggling to find a good enough reason.

Everyone said initially when he graduated "he'll get snapped up in no time","they're crying out for teachers" and "not many male teachers anymore in primary schools".

We really didn't think it would be this hard to get a teaching job. It's like a rat race.

I taught in the south east for 20 years and my salary was the same as I'd earn in Yorkshire!

Other than London weighting, teaching salaries aren't different just because the house prices are more, sadly.

It's 14 years since I qualified but I had 7 interviews before I was offered my NQT job. It gave me a lot of experience at interview questions and techniques, which in the long run helped I think as I was a nervous wreck during the first couple. By the 7th I was a lot more relaxed and able to let them see the real me.

A first class degree doesn't mean much in teaching though. It just means you can write a good essay. Teaching placements themselves, where you actually learn the job you're training for, are judged as pass or fail but don't count towards your overall grading. At least they didn't when I was training. So in that sense a teaching interview is different to a bog standard office job as your application and qualifications simply get you the interview. The interview itself it's where the school obtain an insight into how good a teacher you'll be and how you'll fit in. Having a first class degree is not an advantage against someone with a 'lesser' class degree. Obviously I'm not suggesting he won't be a great teacher, just that having a first is no different to a 2:2 in terms of how easy he'll secure a teaching job.

Summer 1 and the start of Summer 2 are always the busiest times for job advertisements for September, with teachers having until 31st May to hand their notice in. That busy period is only just beginning. I'm sure something will turn up soon.

@BoleynMemories13

Thank you for your helpful reply, much appreciated.

Today hubby has had 2 emails saying he's been unsuccessful with his applications, one school saying they had over 50 applications. It's so frustrating, I feel sorry for him and it's hard to keep going.

I’m genuinely astonished at this. I am in the West Midlands and our primary schools dream of having ten applicants, let alone fifty.

Are you in a very desirable area? Is he willing to work in an area of high deprivation, eg parts of Hull? Schools in these areas often struggle to recruit.

We're near a town called near Hull and yes he goes and applies for schools in Hull. The email where it states they had over 50 applications was in Hull. Very little jobs come up in Beverley itself.

We have thought we may have to move house at this rate.

Twenty years ago, I applied for a job in Lancaster and was informed there were over 400 applicants! Now, when I am recruiting, we are lucky to get a handful! It really does depend on luck and location.