Hunt for teachers goes round globe

Staff shortage leaves 40 schools with no head

Education officials embarked on a 23,000-mile round trip in a bid to plug teacher shortages in Kent schools, it has emerged.

Headhunters from Kent County Council flew to Christchurch, New Zealand, to interview 26 teachers for jobs in the county. Twelve were offered posts.

Cllr Roger Gough, KCC cabinet member for schools, says Kent, along with most parts of the country, faces challenges when trying to attract teachers.

He said: “We have always looked to recruit more widely, even though the bulk of our teachers come through local recruitment. But we have had examples of casting the net more widely and, over a number of years, recruited from Ireland.

“There is always a case for doing that, but what we do see is that there is an issue with recruitment in the public sector and there is a pressure in certain parts of the county.”

The trip was funded by an agency in New Zealand, as the county council admitted there were 40 schools across the county which had no head teacher.

The authority says it is confident the schools are still being led well, but admits recruitment is a challenge, with large numbers leaving the profession.

Mr Gough said: “Clearly there are pressures and people often ask whether headship is the right thing. It is worth remembering that it is 40 schools without a head out of 600.

“It is not that high a number. There is no doubt, though, that there is a bit of a challenge with recruitment and retention.

“What we are trying to do is support what goes on so there is a pool of talent and that there are people willing to take on leadership roles.”

A recent council survey found most parents and pupils did not regard teaching as an “aspirational career”, with many seeing it as an “underpaid, undervalued and stressful” profession.

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