Problems in recruiting deputy headteachers to primary schools. The demand of Essex schools for newly qualified teachers exceeds the total output of all teacher-training providers in the County. The growing demand for early years and Key Stage 1 teachers in the primary phase that is higher than the national average. Problems in recruiting headteachers. In some cases teachers are refusing to accept promoted posts and resigning from permanent contracts to take up supply teaching in order to improve their quality of life.
Schools are concerned that the vacancy rate often masks the true position.
Schools make valiant efforts to ensure classes are taught, but this increasingly results in classes being covered by teachers whose skills are not widely matched with the needs of the school. Many vacancies are being covered by supply teachers or other teachers on short-term contracts. Even this supply of teachers is dwindling with many schools now unable to secure agency staff. Indeed, a significant number of headteachers have told us that they have recently been forced to appoint candidates who only two years ago they would not even have shortlisted. Schools have expressed concern about the current definition of a vacancy used by your Department, where any vacant post covered by a contract of one term or less is not counted.