What's recruitment like in your school this year?

[PumpkinPie2016]

Secondary HoD in a shortage subject and I am getting worried about staffing for next year 😬

Needed to recruit x2 teachers - advertised but got a weak field. Appointed 1 who will be ECT and who will probably need additional support beyond the norm but hopefully we can grow them with a good mentor.

Gone out again but so far, nothing doing (we added a bit of money but still no luck so far). Ad closes next week so hoping someone applies.

I look on TES at jobs in my area for my subject and see the same schools advertising the same jobs over and over again 😔

Going to be fun trying to strategically timetable 🤯

What's it like in your schools at the moment?

I'm in primary and we have no problem filling roles in my area.

I can imagine for secondary schools like yours, with tricky subjects jobs will be hard to fill.

Our youngest teacher (who's been with us now for 4 years) says at least half of her year don't work in schools anymore. It's very worrying.

I’m leaving and two other teachers are planning to at the end of this year

I left a very toxic school last July. Usual story, great to start with then a change in personnel. 20 have left either at the same time as me or subsequently and this number is likely to increase further. Some of those still have not been replaced. 2 staff appointed in September have since resigned! Recruitment and retention there is a massive issue.

@BG2015 it's good to hear at least some schools can recruit! Shortage subjects in secondary are definitely very difficult.

@BraOffPjsOn and @Girasole02 sounds like your schools are also having it tough.

The advert is still open but nothing so far 😕

Keeping fingers crossed people might do applications over the weekend.

Secondary HT here.

Depends what subject. Most roles are easy to recruit for - the challenging ones we do have though are RE, MFL and Textiles/Art.

We recently appointed a couple of teachers to start at Easter and the recruitment process was easy….. no issues with it.

I’m expecting a bit of a challenge come April/May though as I know a few are planning to move on.

We did struggle to recruit an Assistant Head vacancy that we had live from May 2024. Only filled it in December for an April 2025 start!

We currently have a HoD acting in the role but they are retiring in the summer so only wanted to do it short term.

None of the other HoD’s were interested or suitable…

@MN2025 that's interesting! Our school gets a lot of applications for assistant head vacancies. It tends to be teacher of X, and 2i/c roles we struggle for.

May I ask, what sort of area does your school serve?
Ours serves a very disadvantaged area but I can honestly say, our school is wonderful and the children are brilliant- I wonder if our location puts people off 😥