Welcome to the February 2020 edition of the Teacher Recruitment Bulletin from the Department for Education (DfE), which contains vital information to support recruitment of teachers and to Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses. Your colleagues can subscribe to this bulletin by emailing teacher.recruitmentbulletin@education.gov.uk.
Contents
New announcements
1. New teaching school hubs
2. The Early Career Framework (ECF) is rolling out in four regions this year
3. Opportunity to become a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) provider
Inspire, support and attract teachers – marketing and events
4. Train to Teach events – ITT provider spaces still available
5. How you can help promote Teaching Vacancies
6. Case studies to support the Get Into Teaching campaign
7. ITT provider marketing workshops and webinars – register now to improve your recruitment
Essential information and requirements for ITT providers
8. The ITT Core Content Framework
9. DfE’s Apply for Teacher Training
International and specialist recruitment programmes
10. The maths and physics chairs programme – an opportunity for school-led ITT providers
11. Scholarships programme – recruitment to maths and physics
12. Use SKE to recruit teachers with great potential
13. Recruit experienced modern foreign languages (MFL) teachers with no recruitment costs
Developing and supporting teachers
14. Free and flexible courses to upskill ‘non-specialist’ teachers
New announcements
- New teaching school hubs – specialist support coming for schoolsSix schools have been selected to act as regional teaching school hubs in five test areas. The six hubs will receive funding of £1.1 million between them each academic year to support between 200 to 300 other schools in their area.The six schools are:
- North: Harrogate Grammar School and Red Kite Learning Trust
- Lancashire and West Yorkshire: Copthorne Primary School and Exceed Academies Trust
- East Midlands and Humber: Silverdale School and Chorus Education Trust
- East of England and North East London: Harris Academy Chafford Hundred and Harris Federation
- East of England and North East London: Saffron Walden County High School and Saffron Academy Trust
- South West: Kingsbridge Community College
The initiative will give schools who need support direct access to the expertise of school leaders with a track record of making improvements in challenging circumstances.
This forms part of a new scheme, launched by the department last year, to simplify and strengthen how the government supports school standards, building on the successes of both teaching schools and national leaders of education programmes.
To find out more or to get involved visit GOV.UK at teaching-schools-and-system-leadership-how-you-can-get-involved.
2. The ECF is rolling out in four regions this year
The ECF was published in January 2019. It sets out all the things that a newly qualified teacher needs to learn and do in their first two years. From September 2021 all schools will need to offer their newly qualified teachers an induction that meets the requirements set out in the framework.
The department is rolling out the programme early in the North East, Greater Manchester, Bradford and Doncaster, and many schools in this area will start delivering induction programmes that meet the framework requirements from September this year.
Findings from the early rollout will feed into the national rollout, helping to ensure it meets the needs of early career teachers and senior leaders across the country.
We will share more advice and support ahead of next year and will continue to keep you advised of developments.
The department’s support package, for all schools, will include funding for 5% off timetable for all teachers in the second year of teaching so that they can focus on their development: funding for mentor training and time for them to support their inductees, as well as training and development resources and products.
There’s more information about the ECF on GOV.UK at supporting-early-career-teachers.
You can read more about early roll out of the support package on GOV.UK at rollout-of-early-career-framework-support-package.
3. Opportunity to become a SKE provider
The commercial model for SKE courses will be changing in 2020. We plan to go out to tender in mid-February to appoint SKE providers to a multi-provider framework agreement. The framework agreement will replace the grant funding model currently in place for the SKE programme, and will be the only means of receiving funding from the department for SKE courses delivered from October 2020. The process for candidates being referred for a SKE course will be similar to the current process.
If you want to deliver SKE courses from October 2020, you will need to apply through the tender process, and be successfully appointed to the framework agreement.
For more information, please view the SKE Provider Prior Information Notice (PIN) on ContractsFinder.
Inspire, support and attract teachers – marketing and events
- Train to Teach events – ITT provider spaces still availableThere are still a limited number of spaces available at the following Train to Teach events:
| Location | Date | Time |
| Colchester | Tuesday 25 February | 4:30pm to 7:30pm |
| Hatfield | Tuesday 10 March | 4:30pm to 7:30pm |
| Twickenham | Saturday 14 March | 11:00am to 3:00pm |
| Crawley | Tuesday 17 March | 4:30pm to 7:30pm |
| Ipswich | Wednesday 18 March | 4:30pm to 7:30pm |
| Peterborough | Wednesday 29 April | 4:30pm to 7:30pm |
| Bristol | Wednesday 20 May | 4:30pm to 8:00pm |
| Milton Keynes | Thursday 21 May | 4:30pm to 7:30pm |
If you would like to attend any of these events, please complete the Train to Teach event booking form. These events are in addition to any that you may have already been allocated.
5. How you can help promote Teaching Vacancies
The department’s Teaching Vacancies is a free national service for listing and searching for teaching jobs. The service is being well supported by schools, with over 65% signed up.
Our new marketing campaign targets active jobseekers across social media platforms. Over 100,000 jobseekers have visited the service over the last couple of months.
To find out how you can help promote the service, please visit our new Teaching Vacancies campaign site.
You can download our promotional material on GOV.UK at teaching-vacancies-marketing-materials-for-schools.
6. Case studies to support the Get Into Teaching campaign
The Get Into Teaching campaign is looking for new case studies to help highlight teaching as a rewarding career. We are keen to speak to passionate primary and secondary teachers (from recent graduates and career changers to those who have returned to teaching after a break) who would be willing to share their stories with our PR agency.
Positive media coverage from case studies can benefit the individual, the school and help to support our wider efforts to help recruit and retain more teachers.
If you know anyone who might be interested in supporting the campaign, please ask them to contact our PR agency GetIntoTeaching@kindredagency.com, providing information including name, age, contact details, subject/s taught, and school.
- ITT provider marketing workshops and webinars– register now to improve your recruitmentWe are offering the opportunity for all ITT providers to attend sessions where they can access advice on how to improve the impact of marketing activity to attract ITT applicants.If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please see the current list of locations and register via the links below:
| Location | Date | Time |
| Webinar | Thursday 27 February | 3:30pm to 5:00pm |
| Liverpool | Monday 2 March | 1:30pm to 3:30pm |
| Sheffield | Tuesday 24 March | 1:30pm to 3:30pm |
To get support with your marketing, stay up to date with all of our events, and share ideas and best practice with other ITT providers, join our ITT Provider Marketing Support Network on Facebook.
Essential information and requirements for ITT providers
8. ITT Core Content Framework
In the Recruitment and Retention strategy, we committed to revising the ITT Core Content Framework using the ECF as the starting point.
The new ITT Core Content Framework sets out a core minimum entitlement for all trainees of what should be covered during their teacher training. Our vision is that the revised ITT Core Content Framework will be the foundation on which the ECF support is built, ensuring all new teachers benefit from at least three years of coherent evidence-based training.
The new framework was published Friday 1 November 2019. We expect ITT providers and their partnerships to use this framework to craft a coherent and well-sequenced curriculum for implementation by September 2020.
You can find more information about our ITT Core Content Framework on GOV.UK at initial-teacher-training-itt-core-content-framework.
You can view our Teacher Recruitment and Retention strategy on GOV.UK at teacher-recruitment-and-retention-strategy.
You can view our ECF on GOV.UK at supporting-early-career-teachers.
9. DfE’s Apply for Teacher Training
The DfE’s Apply for Teacher Training service launched in November 2019. The Minister of State for School Standards, Nick Gibb MP wrote to all ITT providers and schools, highlighting the new service, and thanking those who are already taking part in developing the service. All ITT providers are invited to register their interest in the new service and help us make a better service for applicants, schools and ITT providers.
To express an interest of early opt-in of our service, providing you the opportunity to influence its development, please complete the Apply for Teacher Training opt-in form.
We are also working with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) to support their integration with DfE’s Apply for Teacher Training. We will be running an early adopter programme with selected HEIs in October 2020. To find out more about early HEI adoption, please contact becomingateacher@digital.education.gov.uk.
International and specialist recruitment programmes
10. Maths and physics chairs programme for school-led ITT providers
As part of the drive to increase the number of maths, physics and wider EBacc subject expert-teachers, The Brilliant Club recruits postdoctoral researchers to train and teach across the country through the Researchers in Schools (RIS) programme.
The programme recruits trainees to School Direct fee-funded and salaried routes. They are keen to hear from ITT providers who are interested in training and placing RIS participants in their partnerships for the academic year 2020 to 2021.
For more information visit the Researchers in Schools website. Alternatively please contact our ITT and School Partnerships manager, Victoria Sharkey by email on victoria.sharkey@researchersinschools.org or call 0203 005 3344.
11. Scholarships programme – recruitment to maths and physics
If you are recruiting maths or physics trainees, please promote the scholarships available in these subjects. Trainees will receive an additional £2,000 to the bursary taking the scholarship amount to £28,000.
The scheme is aimed at high quality candidates who are passionate about teaching maths or physics. Successful candidates must secure a training place by September 2020, that leads to qualified teacher status (QTS), at an ITT provider or lead school with permission to recruit for ITT2020.
Scholars are expected to have a subject relevant 2:1 (or predicted) degree. Candidates with a 2:2 (or predicted) degree may be considered if they can demonstrate significant subject knowledge and have a relevant postgraduate degree. Successful applicants will receive additional support to enhance their subject knowledge and gain access to high quality professional development resources.
Applications are now open. For further details, including eligibility, please visit the Scholarships page on the Get Into Teaching website.
12. Use SKE to recruit teachers with great potential
Trainee teachers don’t need to have a degree in the subject they want to teach.
If you’re recruiting trainee teachers to hard-to-recruit subjects, please consider using SKE courses. Not only does SKE provide a trainee with confidence and knowledge in their chosen subject but it also helps you to widen your pool of potential applicants.
The department funds SKE courses in maths, physics, languages, computing, chemistry, biology, design and technology, English, geography, religious education and primary maths. Courses range from 8 weeks up to 28 weeks; eligible candidates with a 2:2 degree will receive a bursary of £200 per week.
For further support and information, please contact a SKE provider, who’ll be happy to help you with arranging SKE for your candidates.
To find a SKE provider near you please visit GOV.UK at subject-knowledge-enhancement-ske-course-directory.
13. Recruit experienced MFL teachers with no recruitment costs
Teachers of MFL are available to recruit at no cost to English schools through Spain’s Visiting Teachers Programme (SVTP).
Teachers on this programme have QTS, are highly skilled, experienced, and bring a unique insight into the culture of their country to inspire pupils to embrace learning languages.
30 teachers started in English schools in the current academic year. The selection process has begun for September 2020. All teachers can teach Spanish, with some also able to teach French or German, and can teach at both the primary and secondary level.
If you are looking to recruit an MFL teacher, please register your interest to this fully funded recruitment and acclimatisation programme with our delivery partner’s: Randstad’s website.
For more information, please visit the Overseas applicants section on the Get Into Teaching website.
Developing and supporting teachers
- Free and flexible courses to upskill non-specialist teachersTeacher Subject Specialism Training (TSST) courses are available to upskill non-specialist teachers in secondary mathematics, core maths, physics and modern foreign languages, increasing subject knowledge, pedagogy and confidence.This programme:
- reduces the need to recruit externally for teachers in high demand areas – saving time and cost;
- involves no fee for the school or teacher, but delivers considerable benefit;
- helps keep teachers at your school at a time of challenging retention;
- demonstrates the value the school places on its teachers – builds loyalty and makes your school attractive to new teachers; and
- benefits schools with timetable planning and workforce flexibility.
Courses are available in 103 schools across England, with many running during evenings, weekends and in the holidays as well as having online provision.
For further details of courses in your area please see the TSST courses directory on GOV.UK at teacher-subject-specialism-training-courses.