This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Service Lead for Schools, Johnny Kyriacou, on behalf of the Local Government Association, Debbie Carvalho, for the attention of all headteachers in Slough.
The DfE on teacher recruitment has a number of issues that you may be interested in
- Teacher Vacancy Service
- New content in the teacher workload reduction toolkit
- Scholarships programme - recruitment to computer science
- Potential new provider - briefing events
- Teacher Subject Specialism Training - latest blog
Teacher Vacancy Service
The Secretary of State officially launched the Teaching Vacancies service, on Monday 8th April. This service allows schools to advertise their teaching vacancies free of charge (it is estimates this will save the sector up to £75 million annually). 8,000 schools in England have already signed up, and the quicker the take up, the more likely that job seekers will use the service to find their next career move. If you have not seen the site yet, it can be viewed on Teaching Vacancies.
All schools within scope have been emailed and sent a letter inviting them to register to use the service.
New content in the teacher workload reduction toolkit
The DfE have recently made a number of updates related to the teacher workload reduction.
- New practice examples and a new section on reducing workload when managing behaviour may be of particular interest to ITT trainees and NQTs.
- Updated guidance on support for teachers at the early stages of their careers.
- The managing change section.
Scholarships programme - recruitment to computer science
If you are recruiting computer science trainees, please promote the £28,000, tax-free computing teacher-training scholarship to your candidates. The scheme is aimed at high-quality computer scientists, passionate about teaching computer science. Successful candidates must secure a training place by September 2019, that leads to QTS status, at an ITT provider or lead school with permission to recruit by DfE. Scholars are expected to have a subject relevant 2:1 (or predicted) degree. Candidates with a 2:2 (or predicted) degree may be considered if they can demonstrate significant subject knowledge and have a relevant postgraduate degree. Successful applicants will receive additional support to enhance their subject knowledge and gain access to high-quality professional development resources. Applications are now open. Candidates can apply at BCS teaching scholarships.
Potential new provider - briefing events
DfE will shortly be organising briefing events for organisations interested in becoming accredited ITT providers. To register interest in becoming an accredited ITT provider, please email itt.accreditation@education.gov.uk.
Teacher Subject Specialism Training - latest blog
Teacher Subject Specialism Training (TSST) is a free programme available to non-specialist teachers in secondary mathematics, core maths, physics and modern foreign languages to help increase subject knowledge and confidence. The purpose of TSST is to support schools to increase the number of hours taught in these subjects, helping build capacity for schools to manage workforce challenges. Courses run throughout the year, are flexible and many run at weekends and during twilight hours. We’d like to share the experience of Tom, a PE teacher who trained to teach maths. You can read his blog on taking on a new challenge – making the move from PE to maths.
Flexible Working
As part of the Teacher Recruitment and Recruitment Strategy (published in January 2019), the Department for Education will support schools to implement flexible working options, including developing practical resources for schools.
The DfE have had positive feedback on their flexible working guidance (2017).However schools have told them that they would welcome step-by-step guidance, practical support and signposting to good practice examples to help them start or improve their offer.
They are therefore looking to local authorities to help, to inform the development of resources. Would you share resources with them by 23 April 2019 to flexibleworking.resources@education.gov.uk. We would also be keen to hear your views on which of these resources would be most useful for school leaders and/or HR professionals and why at schoolteachers@local.gov.uk
The DfE are aware this is over the course of Easter holidays and are therefore particularly grateful for your help!
Examples of resources could include:
‘How-to’ guides:
- Case studies of how schools have implemented different flexible working options
- Example job specifications
- Guidance on timetabling
- Guidance for teachers on their entitlements to flexible work and how to request it
Policies/documentation on:
- Requesting and responding to requests for flexible working (e.g. part-time work, job-shares, personal days, flexitime, staggered or compressed hours, phased retirement, split roles, split shifts, sabbaticals, career breaks)
- Flexible working
- Related policies upon which flexible working may impact (e.g. meetings, attendance, progression / management or leadership; safeguarding and pastoral support; and induction for flexible early career teachers)
Promotional materials:
- Used to engage parents or governors on flexible work and its benefits
Supporting evidence on the impact (positive/negative) of flexible working on:
- School budgets / finances
- Teacher performance
- Teacher wellbeing (e.g. from staff surveys)