DfE: Teacher Recruitment Bulletin: November 2019

Date published: 5th November 2019

Published by: Department for Education

Teacher Recruitment Bulletin: November 2019

Welcome to the November 2019 edition of the Teacher Recruitment Bulletin, which contains vital information to support your recruitment of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) trainees and teachers. Your colleagues can subscribe to this bulletin by emailing: teacher.recruitmentbulletin@education.gov.uk.

Contents

New announcements
1. ITT Core Content published
2. Fundamental English and mathematics skills

Inspire, Support and Attract Teachers – Marketing and Events
3. Case Study appeal
4. Train to Teach events – provider spaces still available
5. Get School Experience Service
6. Increase your teacher recruitment pipeline
7. Marketing webinars to support recruitment to ITT2020

Essential information and requirements for ITT providers
8. Golden Hello reimbursement claims
9. DfE Apply for Teacher Training
10. Teaching Vacancies – save money on recruitment costs

Developing and Supporting Teachers
11. Free support for non-specialist teachers

Other updates
12. Update on workload reduction resourses and survey
13. Teachers’ Pension Scheme

New announcements

1. ITT Core Content published

On 1 November, the Department published the revised Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework Initial teacher training (ITT): Core Content framework – GOV.UK , following our commitment in the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy to review ITT content to ensure that ITT builds towards and complements the Early Career Framework.

DfE expects ITT providers and their partnerships to implement the revised ITT Core Content Framework in full from September 2020, using it to craft a coherent and well-sequenced curriculum.

ITT providers and their partnerships will continue to have the freedom to design curricula that are appropriate for their trainees and the contexts in which they are training, going beyond the minimum requirements set out in the framework.

We have engaged extensively with ITT experts, providers and schools as the framework was developed, including meeting regularly with our Expert Advisory Group, who have provided advice and challenge.

 

2. Fundamental English and mathematics skillsOn 31 October, we sent further information to ITT training providers regarding the transition from the skills test to provider led assurance of fundamental English and mathematics. This confirmed:

• Candidates starting their undergraduate and postgraduate courses in September 2020 do not need to take the skills test.
• Test centres will continue to be available across the UK until 14 June 2020 for those starting courses prior to 1 April 2020 and for ‘deferred for skills test’ trainees* who still need to pass skills test to be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
• There is no expectation that tests, or assessments should be introduced as part of the new provider led assurance. We have mapped current recruitment and course content against the required fundamental skills.
• Providers do not need to cover a topic at interview if candidates already demonstrate the required skills or will be able to develop this skill during the course.

*Trainees who entered teacher training prior to 1 July 2013 and completed their teacher training courses, but still need to pass skills test to be recommended for QTS.
For further information, please email skills.test@education.gov.uk

 

Inspire, Support and Attract Teachers – Marketing and Events

3. Case Study appealThe Get Into Teaching PR campaign is looking for new case studies to help highlight teaching as an attractive and rewarding career in the media.We are searching for graduates and career changers, who have moved into teaching, as well as people who chose to return to teaching after a break, who are willing to share their stories with our PR agency.

Positive media coverage from case study teachers can benefit the individual, the school and the general profile of teaching as a career.
If you have any newly qualified or more experienced teachers interested in getting involved, please ask them to email getintoteaching@kindredagency.com with their name, age, contact details, subject or subjects taught, and school.

 

4. Get School Experience ServiceWe have updated our service for ITT2020 to enable schools to offer school experience placements for potential ITT applicants.

This service allows schools to manage requests and provides information about the candidate in an interactive dashboard, which includes:

• Contact details;
• What they are looking to get from their placement;
• How far they have got towards becoming a teacher;
• Qualifications.

The benefits are:

• A central service to manage school experience requests;
• The ability to attract and meet potential ITT applicants;
• Decision-making authority on booking requests;
• Option to set subject and placement date.

To sign up, please email your school’s Unique Reference Number (URN) to organise.school-experience@education.gov.uk.

 

5. Train to Teach events – provider spaces still availableVisitor registration for the autumn Train to Teach events opened in mid-September.

We still have provider exhibition spaces at the following events:

Bristol              Tuesday 12 November 2019         4.30pm to 8pm
Norwich           Tuesday 19 November 2019         4.30pm to 7.30pm
Colchester       Tuesday 25 February 2020           4.30pm to 7.30pm
Ipswich            Wednesday 18 March 2020          4.30pm to 7.30pm

We also have an additional event at St Mary’s University:

Twickenham     Saturday 14 March 2020              11am to 3pm

To request exhibition space, please complete the provider booking form.

These events are in addition to those for which you have already received an allocated exhibition space.

 

6. Increase your teacher recruitment pipelineWe are looking to trial a new scheme that will help schools spot local teaching talent.

The scheme encourages teachers to invite a friend who they think would make a great teacher, to join them in school for a day.

This idea has tested well with graduates and career changers who had not previously considered teaching as a career. Our findings show they would be more likely to consider teaching if they were invited into a school by a trusted friend to experience life in school.

To take part, please complete this form: Tell me more.

 

7. Marketing webinars to support recruitment to ITT2020Following the information in the October edition of this bulletin, we’d like to remind providers about our upcoming marketing webinars; these events provide an opportunity for ITT providers to access advice on how to improve the impact of marketing activity to support recruitment to ITT.

Industry professionals will host these webinars to share their expertise and provide hints and tips.

Register at Eventbrite via the following links:

Audiences and messaging webinar   Wednesday 13 November 2019 at 3.30pm
Toolkit webinar                                   Thursday 21 November 2019 at 3pm

 

Essential information and requirements for ITT providers

8. Golden Hello reimbursement claimsIn May 2018 we announced the closure of the Golden Hello scheme. This meant that teachers must have submitted their application form to their employing academy or local authority on or before 30 September 2019.

As this deadline has expired, academies or local authorities must not accept any further Golden Hello application forms.

For any applications forms that were submitted on or before 30 September 2019, we must receive outstanding reimbursement claims from employers on or before 30 November 2019 11.59pm.

We reserve the right to decline claims received after this deadline.

For queries, please email ta.lafunding@education.gov.uk.

For further information, visit Golden Hello reimbursement: guidance for local authorities and academies

 

9. DfE Apply for Teacher TrainingWe are redesigning and bringing the current ITT application process owned by UCAS in-house to be managed by DfE.

Our Apply for Teacher Training service supports great candidates to submit high-quality applications and offers providers:

• A smooth application journey, providing information needed to make efficient decisions;
• A user-friendly interface enabling management of applications or integration with existing Student Records System.

We are testing the new Apply service with SCITTs from late November 2019.

To register interest, please visit Apply for teacher training: Taking part in our pilot.

We are working with HEIs to facilitate integration with Apply. We will be running an early adopter programme with selected HEIs in October 2020.

To receive regular updates, join our mailing list

 

10. Teaching Vacancies – save money on recruitment costsWe are keen to help schools reduce the amount of valuable funding spent on teacher recruitment, money that is better spent on front line resources.

We launched Teaching Vacancies, a free national service for schools to post vacancies. This service will help schools reduce the amount they spend on recruitment advertising and with agencies.

We now need your support to promote the service as you play a pivotal role in influencing the career choices of trainee teachers. Please encourage trainees to use Teaching Vacancies to find their first teaching role.

To help raise awareness of the service, we have produced posters and flyers that can be displayed in communal areas.

Please email teaching.vacancies@education.gov.uk to request your copies.

 

Developing and Supporting Teachers

11. Free support for non-specialist teachersTeacher Subject Specialism Training (TSST) offers free courses to support non-specialist teachers teach secondary mathematics, core maths, physics and modern foreign languages (MFL).Benefits to your school:

• TSST involves no fee for the school or teacher;
• Reduction in need to recruit externally for teachers in high demand areas;
• Reduction in resources, saving time and cost;
• Helps retain teachers at your school at a time of challenging retention;
• Demonstrates the value the school places on its teachers;
• Timetable planning and workforce flexibility.

For further information and courses in your area, visit Teacher subject specialism training (TSST) courses.

Other updates

 

12. Update on workload reduction resources and survey

The 2019 teacher workload survey has now been published. The report shows an overall reduction in reported working hours since the 2016 survey. The reduction is largely seen in hours spent working in the evening and at weekends, including a decrease in time spent on marking, planning and other non-teaching tasks.

Alongside the survey a published package of support for staff in schools, including the updated workload reduction toolkit and a short video on retention to accompany this are now available.

The toolkit has better navigation in response to feedback which said the previous version made it difficult to access all the great resources in it and contains advice for ITE providers and those working with early career teachers.

To view the survey results and these resources, please visit:

Teacher workload survey 2019;
School workload reduction toolkit;
Tackling school workload to improve teacher retention.

 

13. Teachers’ Pension SchemeA teacher’s pension is an important part of their reward package.The Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) offers many benefits to its members including:

• A generous pension based on salary and service (rather than investments);
• Ill health and death-in-service protection;
• Flexible retirement options;
• A tax-efficient way to save for retirement (through Income Tax relief that applies to pension contributions).

We recommend that ITT providers encourage all potential teachers to visit the Teachers’ Pensions website to help them understand the TPS and all of the options open to members at various stages of their teaching career.