Social media, teachers and schools: How to avoid the pitfalls Planned changes to safeguarding law could see schools conducting social media checks on prospective teachers. Legal expert Sarah Linden considers the common pitfalls of social media use for teachers…
How flexible working can succeed in your primary school Flexible working is increasingly seen as a solution to recruitment and retention challenges, especially given our recent experience during Covid. Colin Hooker advises on some effective ways to offer flexible options which benefit schools, staff and pupils
Resignations and retirement: A looming leadership crisis? There are real fears that the added pressure of Covid-19 will drive many more headteachers to quit. Suzanne O’Connell looks at the barriers we face to headteacher retention and recruitment
Flexible working: How can it work for your school? Over the last 18 months more school staff will have worked flexibly than ever before, but what does flexible working actually mean in the school context? Louise Hatswell looks at employment law, best practice and offers some guidance for employers
Achieving workforce diversity (while avoiding tokenism) How do we create meaningful representation in our schools? Hannah Wilson, director of the Diverse Educators network, advises how we can diversify our workforce while avoiding tokenism
Flexible working: How to job-share the role of primary headteacher Job-sharing the role of headteacher is an increasingly popular option. Co-heads Alison Fitch and Rebecca Stacey explain how their role works, why it is effective and why job-sharing could be a key factor in retaining more teachers
Recruitment & Covid: What is in store for schools? The stresses on the profession this year have been immense. What will the impact of this be? Will we see a flurry of resignations before the May 31 deadline? Former National Schools Commissioner Sir David Carter gives his view on the recruitment picture facing schools in the months ahead
Recruitment: Running effective virtual interviews Moving recruitment processes online has been one of many Covid challenges. Mike Donnelly offers a few tips on conducting effective virtual interviews
Wellbeing at Christmas: Time to focus on you This Christmas holiday may be the first time that many teachers and school leaders have chance to take a breath and step back from the chaos and stress of Covid-19. Sophie Howells says that now is the time to prioritise your wellbeing – and offers some ideas
Workforce planning in an era of Covid-19 This academic year will see continued disruption with the intense demands on the school workforce constantly shifting and showing no signs of letting up. Chetan Sood considers workforce strategy for the coming months
Seven solutions to your teacher retention challenges More than one in nine primary teachers are leaving the profession each year. Drawing on a range of research, Matt Bromley looks at seven key factors that schools should focus on if they want to boost retention rates
Retention: Practical steps to avoid driving new teachers out of teaching The retention rate of NQTs and RQTs continues to fall. How can we mitigate against inadvertently driving new teachers out of the profession? Maria Cunningham draws on recent cross-sector discussions to offer practical advice – both to school leaders and NQTs
Managing remote recruitment during the coronavirus closures The prospect of running a recruitment round during lockdown might feel daunting. Xavier Roeseler outlines how you can adapt your current recruitment process while schools are closed, to ensure you can still find the right candidates for your school
How to pick the right candidates for interview Perfecting the interview shortlisting process is a vital stage of recruitment and helps you to find the right talent for your school. Kaley Foran sets out some tips for navigating the shortlisting process, including ensuring your process is fair and being prepared for if a decision is challenged
Workload is improving, but there is more to do... The Department for Education’s latest Teacher Workload Survey results show that teacher workload is improving, but there is still a way to go. Jack Worth and Matt Walker investigate the latest research findings
Recruitment: Selling your school Primary schools with 200 to 600 pupils are the most common school type in England, making for a crowded recruitment market. Imogen Rowley outlines how you can refresh the way you advertise this year and ensure your school stands out
Retaining our new and experienced teachers With more teachers leaving the profession than joining, improving retention rates is crucial to tackling the on-going supply challenges. The government has recently announced new plans to boost teacher retention, particularly with additional support for new teachers. Dorothy Lepkowska reports
Making job-sharing work How can flexible working conditions, such as job-shares, improve the recruitment and retention of teachers? Caroline Cafferty speaks to headteacher Angela Pagett to get her perspective on job-sharing in a primary school setting
Reflections on recruitment Getting it right is absolutely imperative. Get it wrong and that has a tremendous impact on productivity, morale, workload and outcomes for children. Rachel Jones offers her reflections on the recruitment challenge
Coaching: More than just a queue of questions Investing more time in coaching approaches to professional development could pay dividends for your schools, says assistant principal Laura Mackay. She offers some tenets of good practice
Case study: Graduate teaching assistants Properly trained and deployed teaching assistants can have a huge impact on pupil outcomes. Furthermore, the use of graduate teaching assistants can also support your school’s recruitment and training strategy, as Tom Donohoe explains
Tackling teacher retention and turnover challenges A major on-going research project by the National Foundation for Educational Research is helping us to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics within retention and recruitment for the teacher workforce in England. Dorothy Lepkowska looks at the latest findings
Planning ahead for recruitment How can you make your recruitment processes more efficient? Rebecca Oram shares some long-term, low-cost strategies for success
Handling recruitment agencies At one time or another, all headteachers will have to deal with the recruitment agencies in order to fill a short-term or long-term vacancy. Slava Kremerman offers some tips
Flexible working: A recruitment solution? The difficulties schools are having in recruiting teachers continue to dominate the headlines. The DfE wants us to consider the option of flexible working. Just how might this work?
