Page 90 - SEN116 January-February 2022

Recruitment
Is 2022 the year we can fix the headache of supply teacher recruitment?
Ollie Parsons looks at what’s changed in the school recruitment landscape, and what the future holds.
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For almost two years, schools have faced unprecedented challenges - not only with the mass move to online teaching, but also the continuously fluctuating staff levels. With many schools successfully opting to employ
more support staff directly or create a pool of local teachers, schools’ reliance on using supply and recruitment agencies has drastically reduced. Is it time to learn from our experiences and change the face of school recruitment?
Having worked as a Recruitment Consultant in a traditional supply agency throughout the pandemic, I know this past 20 months has been like no other. I was supporting head teachers who were juggling the mass move to online teaching whilst desperately trying to meet their constantly fluctuating staffing needs. Technological solutions suddenly became the answer to many headteachers’ challenges, proving that our education system that was a little bit set in its ways, can adapt, learn, and change on demand.
One surprising area was the move away from a reliance on supply and recruitment agencies to assist with staff shortages. Whilst agencies were still playing a vital role, the capacity to which they were being used was drastically reduced. More schools adopted a strategy of either directly employing more support staff or creating their own pool of local teachers who they employed exclusively, allowing school leaders to take control of their recruitment to suit their needs and budgets.
So, will 2022 be a year where short and long-term recruitment changes for good?
Revolution in staff recruitment
Whether recruitment needs arise from planned leave or unexpected staff shortages due to sickness, technology can help alleviate many headaches.
“Allowing school leaders to take control of their recruitment”
Looking for specialist SEND cover – be it long term, or short term, is not always straightforward, however it is possible to say goodbye to the morning panics and hello to more money in your budget.
Many schools will already have an established bank of supply teachers that they prefer to use, covering different key stages, subjects, and specialisms. Although a spreadsheet does a decent job at storing the contact details for them all, using a technological platform can save you much needed time.
You can communicate your needs with them all at a click of a button and similarly, they too can respond with their availability with ease.
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