Memorandum submitted by Ofsted
INTRODUCTION
Ofsted is a non-ministerial central government
department, established to take responsibility for the inspection
of all maintained schools in England. The information on teacher
recruitment and retention follows inspections of schools and initial
teacher training in the academic year 2001-02.
THE RECRUITMENT
AND RETENTION
OF TEACHERS
Key issues
Problems in the recruitment and retention of
suitably qualified teachers have increased; the situation is considerably
worse in London than elsewhere.
— Teacher shortages are leading to
the increased use of temporary supply teachers and the use of
permanent teachers to teach subjects in which they are not adequately
qualified; this commonly leads to weaker teaching, lower expectations
and less effective learning.
— A significant number of schools going
into special measures experience difficulties in recruiting and
retaining high-quality teachers.
1. Last year's Annual Report drew attention
to growing problems associated with recruiting and retaining teachers;
these problems have received considerable publicity during the
past year. It is important not to exaggerate the difficulties.
There are very few teaching posts with no one to fill them, even
on a temporary basis. Vacancy levels nationally are running at
just over one per cent of teaching posts. Wastage rates are very
similar to those experienced by other areas of public service
such as local authorities and the health service.
2. While vacancy levels may not be high,
there are real problems in recruiting teachers and in retaining
them, and these have got worse over the past two years. There
is also a problem of finding teachers of an appropriately high
quality and who are suitably qualified to fill the posts to which
they are appointed. Increasing numbers of posts are being filled
by supply teachers or by overseas teachers on temporary contracts.
3. These difficulties are not shared equally
across all schools or all subjects. They are particularly acute
in four categories:
— schools situated in London and the
south east, and other areas where housing costs are high;
— schools in areas of high socio-economic
disadvantage; and
4. In all types of school, the situation
in London is considerably worse than elsewhere in the country.
Vacancy levels in London primary schools in January were 3.3%
(4.2% in inner London), and in London secondary schools 3.7% (4.4%
in inner London). In London special schools recruitment problems
are particularly acute, with an overall vacancy rate of 4.6%.
5. Provisional figures for 2001 show that
the vacancy rate in secondary schools has more than doubled in
the last year; this rapid increase has been seen not just in London,
but across England, where the rate rose from 0.5 to 1.1% when
London was excluded from the analysis.
6. The higher proportion of vacancies in
London is reflected in the greater reliance on the use of temporary
supply teachers. Chart 23, compiled from Section 10 evidence,
illustrates the extent of the problem in inner and outer London,
compared with other types of LEA.
7. There are particular concerns in some
secondary school subjects:
— Mathematics: there are insufficient
teachers to match the demands of the mathematics curriculum in
one school in eight, a situation that has deteriorated from the
previous year.
— Science: the shortage of physical
science teachers is having an impact on the quality of teaching
in a substantial number of schools. Staffing difficulties are
hindering the ability of heads of departments to monitor the work
of colleagues and to plan curriculum developments.
— Modern foreign languages:
the match of teachers to the demands of the modern foreign language
curriculum is unsatisfactory in about one school in seven.
— Design and technology: the
shortage of specialist teachers in design and technology is now
acute, especially in food technology, and is depressing pupils'
attainment. Staff shortages are preventing a growing number of
schools from complying with National Curriculum requirements in
the subject. The use of non-specialist teachers markedly reduces
the amount of practical work pupils can do.
— Religious education (RE):
very few RE departments are staffed entirely with specialists.
In schools having a full inspection, the match of teachers and
support staff to the demands of the subject are worse in RE than
in any other subject, being good in only 3 in 10 schools.
8. A significant number of schools going
into special measures experience difficulties in recruiting and
retaining teachers of a high enough calibre. In some primary schools,
for example, particular classes may have many different teachers
throughout the year, unsettling the pupils and impeding the continuity
of their education. In some of the larger secondary schools it
is common for a number of vacancies to be covered by supply or
temporary staff, including teachers from overseas who may be unfamiliar
with the requirements of the National Curriculum, and who need
additional time to assess what pupils know and to identify what
they should do next.
9. One of the most obvious consequences
of a lack of suitably qualified teachers in any particular subject
is the use of teachers to teach subjects in which they are not
adequately qualified. The picture varies from subject to subject.
For example, only 77% of teachers who teach some mathematics in
secondary schools have a post-A level qualification in the subject;
and only just over half of teachers who teach some religious education
have a qualification in it.
10. The implications for the quality of
the teaching are clear. Inspection shows that schools with higher
relevant qualification rates among their teachers are more likely
to be judged good or better. Where a subject is taught by a high
proportion of teachers with limited qualifications in the subject,
this lack of subject knowledge manifests itself in lower expectations,
weaker teaching and less effective learning in the subject.
11. In recent years, the maintained system
has lost around 10% of its teachers each year—including
those retiring but excluding the increasing numbers changing from
full time to part-time teaching. Of particular concern is that
over one in five NQTs leave the profession during their first
three years in teaching.
12. There is a clear association between
the percentage of teachers leaving both secondary and primary
schools and the proportions of pupils in the school eligible for
free school meals: the more disadvantaged the school, the higher
the percentage of teachers leaving the school. The percentage
of teachers who left schools inspected in 2000-01 was considerably
higher in inner and outer London than elsewhere, in both primary
and secondary sectors.
EARLY PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
A small-scale survey looked at schools' arrangements
for Early Professional Development. The purpose was to identify
aspects of effective induction for newly qualified teachers and
its impact on retention.
Key issues
— Induction arrangements for newly
qualified teachers are now at least satisfactory in most schools
but good practice is not yet sufficiently common.
— Around 7 in 10 schools identify teachers'
professional development needs effectively, but only a minority
establish clear targets for development activities and monitor
whether these are achieved.
— The support programme offered by
local education authorities (LEAs) for new headteachers is characterised
by inconsistency, with no LEA having good practice in all aspects
and one-quarter of LEAs providing unsatisfactory support.
THE INDUCTION
OF NEWLY
QUALIFIED TEACHERS
13. The vast majority of schools make at
least satisfactory arrangements for the induction of newly qualified
teachers (NQTs). Arrangements are excellent or very good in 1
in 5 primary schools and one-quarter of secondary schools. Provision
is unsatisfactory or poor in only 1 in 20 schools. Schools are
much less likely, however, to recognise the need to provide induction
support for experienced, newly-appointed staff.
14. Features of good induction arrangements
for NQTs include:
— effective mentoring by experienced
teachers;
— opportunities to observe good teaching
in their own and other schools;
— regular observation and feedback
on their own teaching;
— access to high-quality school and
LEA induction programmes; and
— the provision of a comprehensive
staff handbook.
Such features are becoming established in an
increasing number of schools but need to be part of the entitlement
for all NQTs.
15. There are clear benefits of a well-defined
and effective induction programme to both NQTs and to their schools.
Such programmes help to ensure that new teachers settle quickly
into the life of the school and are clear about expectations and
procedures, including those relating to behaviour management.
In turn, this can lead to a consistent approach to teaching and
learning across the school which supports high levels of achievement
by the pupils.
June 2003
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