The Teacher Tapp and SchoolDash annual report on teacher recruitment and retention provides insights into the current state of the teaching profession in England. By monitoring job advertisements and conducting surveys with over 10,000 teachers, the report presents key trends and challenges. Here are the key findings:
Recruitment Challenges
Secondary School Recruitment:
Job adverts remain higher than before the pandemic but have decreased by approximately 10% compared to the previous year. Core subjects like English, Maths, and Science have seen modest increases in job adverts, while Humanities have seen significant growth compared to the 2018/19 academic year.
Primary School Recruitment:
Activity remains static, with a slight decrease in pupil rolls reducing the overall need for primary teachers. Current recruitment figures are similar to those observed in 2019.
Teacher Availability for September:
Concerns about finding adequately qualified teachers have decreased slightly for primary schools and more significantly for secondary schools compared to last year, but remain much higher than in 2020.
Technician Posts:
Advertisements for technician positions have dropped by 25% compared to the previous year, possibly indicating schools are managing with fewer technicians or have filled previous vacancies.
Recruitment in Disadvantaged Areas
The Education Quality Challenge in Disadvantaged Schools:
Schools in disadvantaged areas face greater difficulties in recruitment, often needing to extend application deadlines and experiencing higher rates of candidate withdrawal before contract signing. Leaders in these schools are more likely to report that recruitment difficulties affect the quality of education they can provide. Disadvantaged schools report more frequent mid-year disruptions due to teacher absences or resignations, and a higher use of non-specialist teachers in GCSE classes.
Perceptions of Teaching in Disadvantaged Schools:
All teachers perceive working in disadvantaged schools as being more demanding and requiring greater skill. Whilst our survey shows few differences in workload by type of school, there are clear differences in the classroom experience. Teachers in disadvantaged schools report more frequent behavioural problems, with disruptive behaviour more likely to halt learning compared to more affluent schools.
Teacher Wellbeing in Disadvantaged Schools:
Teachers in disadvantaged schools report lower levels of job satisfaction and higher stress levels compared to those in affluent schools. This includes more frequent experiences of burnout and feelings of being “infuriated” by their job, particularly in secondary schools.
We hope you find the report useful and interesting. Thank you for your contributions.
