Fewer teachers have moved schools or sought new jobs for the second year in a row, with a particularly significant dip in secondary vacancies, new figures suggest.
Combining survey data and job advertisement analysis, the Teacher Tapp app and SchoolDash website found that uncertainty sparked by Covid has led more teachers to feel they will be in the job in three years’ time, and fewer to consider a move to teach overseas.
By contrast, the analysis shows there has been an increase in advertisements for school technician posts.
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In a new report of their findings, published today, authors Becky Allen and Timo Hannay said that the 2020 and 2021 recruitment seasons had been “dramatically affected” by the pandemic.
“From March 2020 onwards, the number of teacher recruitment adverts posted by schools fell well below those seen in pre-pandemic years,” they wrote.
“By the end of August 2020, they were about 4,500 (14 per cent) lower than might otherwise have been expected for that academic year.”
They added: “The 2020-2021 school year showed an even bigger aggregate fall of more than 7,000 adverts (22 per cent). So far, activity in the current 2021-22 academic year is following more or less the same lower trajectory.”
The analysis found that, during 2020-21, reductions of more than 10 per cent were seen in every subject area - with the biggest declines in English (31 per cent; 1,400 adverts), maths (27 per cent; 1,300 adverts) and science (25 per cent; 1,600 adverts).
“It is therefore clear that the secondary teacher recruitment market in England remains deeply affected by the pandemic even as schools and the rest of society open up,” the report said.
Mr Hannay, from SchoolDash, said: “Teacher recruitment activity at secondary schools in England suffered a second consecutive year of disruption in 2020-21, with an even lower number of advertised vacancies than during the first year of the pandemic.
“So far, this trend has also continued into the new academic year. In contrast, headteacher turnover remains roughly flat, while technician hiring is exceptionally buoyant.”
Professor Allen, from Teacher Tapp, said: “The emerging contrast between the lowest and highest-paid employees in schools is something to watch over the next 12 months.
“Schools may find it increasingly difficult to hold onto non-teaching staff and teachers at the start of their career, both of whom will have enhanced opportunities in the currently tight labour market.
“However, the headteachers who are experiencing the highest levels of stress and burnout will find it more difficult to transition to equivalent paid work in other professions.”
