The benefits of hiring permanent teachers now in time for the 2024/25 academic term

Tackling teacher shortages in 2024/25

Teacher shortages are reaching crisis levels across England. The Teacher Labour Market in England Annual Report 2024 reveals that recruitment and retention issues persist. The workforce grew by 259 teachers in 2023 as those resigning continued to rise. Teacher vacancies have surged by 20%, rising from 2,300 in November 2022 to 2,800 in November 2023. According to government data for June 2024, the teacher vacancy rate is 0.6% (six per thousand teachers in service). The Department for Education is almost certain to miss its teacher recruitment target this year – for the 11th time in 12 years. With ongoing challenges in meeting recruitment goals, addressing these shortages remains challenging for all schools. As the new academic term 2024/25 approaches, it is more important than ever to fill these staff gaps now to ensure your school has the best team in place for September.

The benefits of permanent teaching staff

A permanent teacher who knows the pupils, subject curriculum, and school culture can create a more stable learning environment, which is essential for pupil progress. Having stable staffing reduces disruption, enhances institutional knowledge retention, and supports the effective implementation of long-term educational strategies.

Consistency

Permanent teachers provide much-needed consistency and stability for pupils. Studies show that continuity in teaching staff can improve pupils' academic performance and behaviour. Research from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) indicates that schools with lower staff turnover tend to have higher student achievement rates.

Long-term planning

Hiring permanent teachers now enables better long-term planning and development. Permanent staff, who are not recruited at the last minute, are more likely to invest time and effort in extracurricular activities, school projects, and professional development. This commitment enhances the school experience for pupils. It helps build a cohesive and supportive teaching environment.

Building strong relationships

Permanent teachers can build strong, lasting relationships with their pupils, parents, and colleagues from day one. These relationships are fundamental to creating a positive and nurturing educational environment. Teachers who understand their learners' needs can tailor their teaching strategies, leading to improved outcomes. They can also assist better with identifying special educational needs (SEN) and enable students to get support as soon as possible.

Cost and time efficiency

Hiring permanent teachers can be more cost-effective in the long run. It reduces the reliance on supply teachers, which can often lead to increased costs and less consistent teaching quality. Moreover, using an agency such as Holden Knight Education can save time in the recruitment process. You’ll have access to pre-screened and qualified teachers. We manage the administrative tasks, saving the school time and effort.

Get ahead of the competition

The demand for qualified teachers is high, with recent statistics from the Department for Education highlighting a growing teacher shortage. The UK witnessed a decline of 40,000 teachers (almost 9% of the workforce) leaving state schools in 2021-22. Shortages are most acute in subjects like mathematics, science, and modern foreign languages.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) supply

The DfE measures the average percentage of hours a subject is taught by someone with a relevant qualification above A-level in that subject. For all subjects, that metric fell again last year to 74.6%, from 75.7 % in 2022. Headteachers often report difficulties in finding well-qualified people to teach specialist subjects in secondary schools.Almost three in four local education authorities (LEAs) struggle to find qualified staff. A recent poll for PA News reveals that 73% of English LEAs are grappling with this issue, with 18% describing the problem as having reached crisis levels. From September, teachers working in key STEM and technical subjects (such as maths, construction, and engineering) can receive up to £6,000. This is part of the levelling-up premium payment scheme. This incentive also doubles the existing payments for school teachers in maths, physics, chemistry, and computing. By offering incentives, the government believes they are ensuring schools can support the recruitment of teachers in high-priority subjects and in the areas that schools need the most.The incentive is ahead of the introduction of the advanced British standard - a new baccalaureate-style post-16 qualification. To recruit permanent STEM teachers, schools can utilise these financial incentives to attract qualified professionals in key subject areas. This ensures educational quality and meets future curriculum demands.By starting your recruitment process today, you position your school ahead of the competition, attracting the best teachers before other schools recruit them. Contact us today: https://holdenknight.com/education/contact