Schools “should rethink recruitment strategy”

Nick Elvin

Primary, secondary and special educational needs schools must optimise their recruitment strategy following the publication of the Department for Education (DfE) report on staffing and pay in teaching.

That’s the message from recruitment firm Connex Education, which is warning that a “potentially toxic mix” of increasing pupil numbers, financial constraints and barriers to attracting graduate talent mean that above-average vacancy rates persist in key subjects.

The annual report, produced by the School Teachers’ Review Body for the DfE, recommends that schools introduce a number of pay rate increases from September 2015, to help address difficulties in attracting and retaining staff, such as competition from other industries for graduates.

However, concerns have been voiced by several organisations, including the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), that these rises would not be funded by the Government, so schools would have to pay out of their existing budgets.

Connex warns that schools must respond to the report’s findings by re-thinking their current recruitment process and demanding more from recruitment partners.

Mark Beedles, managing director at Connex Education, said: “In a time of increased pressure on budgets, it’s clear that current efforts from employers in education around the filling of vacancies are falling short.

“Structural problems for the teaching profession as a whole should not be used as an excuse for failure in hiring and placing teachers in schools. Worryingly, the report notes that vacancies registered an increase in the last year, suggesting that a war for talent is on the horizon.

“Gaps in education recruitment can be detrimental to the learnings of pupils. A variety of strategies are open to those looking to recruit, with a mix of quicker sourcing for suitable temporary, supply teachers and greater success in hiring the right permanent staff.

“Recruitment spend can only be reduced through better results. Ultimately, reducing time to hire and improving candidate quality can be achieved by better partnerships with proactive recruiters.”