9:00pm Thursday 26th November 2009
By Sophie Edwards
THOSE who can, teach...or so the advertisment slogan goes. But if the latest statistics are to be believed, it seems more a case of get out of teaching while you still can.
As the institutions responsible for teaching our children, it’s crucial schools continue to attract bright, enthusiastic and passionate young teachers and then hang on to them.
Government statistics have revealed about half of all newly-qualified teachers quit the profession within the first five years, while four in ten leave within two years.
Late nights spent marking, stories of unmanageable and violent pupils, low pay, and the task of motivating a class of youngsters who’d rather be doing anything than be in your lesson, have been blamed.
Zoe King, the new principal of Basildon’s Lower Academy, which opened in September in what was formerly Barstable School, is not convinced by the statistics.
Ms King, who left Boswells School in Chelmsford to take up the post and has been teaching in the county for 15 years, said high staff turnover had never been a problem in her experience.
She also has her own methods to keep the very best teachers interested.
She said: “We offer staff real opportunities to take on more responsibility and get promoted.
“We give them extra training and schooling to go into promoted posts, and so, in some ways, we are our own worst enemy.
“But we have to make sure there are enough opportunities to keep them here.
“This way we keep the school fresh and alive, rather than letting the system stagnate.”
Jerry Glazier, from the National Union of Teachers, believes the Government has a responsibility to readdress the work/life balance of teachers to ensure the brightest of the bunch stick with the profession.
He said: “Young teachers have got enormous amounts of energy which can diminish with age. You need to get a good mix in schools.
“But currently the work/life balance is all wrong. Teachers often leave in their mid to late-twenties because they want to get a life. It’s particularly tough for those who keep in touch with friends working in other jobs who take home more money, and can leave their jobs at the office at the weekend.
“The teachers are left with piles of marking or lesson planning on Sunday nights.”
The Government has tried a number of schemes to entice high calibre young people into the classroom.
One was the “golden hello” launched in 1999, which offered high-flying graduates who take up permanent roles in struggling schools, a bonus payment of between £2,500 and £5,000.
More recently, the Department for Children, Schools, and Families launched a scheme aimed at fast-tracking former City workers into teaching.
The scheme only attracted 90 applications and was panned by the National Union of Teachers.
CASE STUDY: HENRY Shepherd, 26, is in his fourth year teaching classics and classical civilisation at Brentwood School, Ingrave Road, Brentwood.
After studying at Cambridge University, Henry did a postgraduate certificate in education and spent time working at a comprehensive school in Norfolk.
After the course, he applied to the fee-paying school in Brentwood, where he has been filling pupils’ heads with Latin and Greek ever since.
Talking about the merits of the certificate, Henry said: “I asked advice from the head of the education faculty about whether to do it or not.
“He said going straight into teaching without training was like someone doing a science degree and then going straight into being a doctor.
“So that decided it for me.”
But despite the training, Henry said nothing prepares you for the real thing.
He said: “I remember being unbelievably nervous before my first lesson.
“There’s an element of performance. It’s a bit like going on stage.”
Henry said he thought misconceptions about teaching were partly to blame for so many young teachers quitting.
He said: “There is a perception teaching is a soft option.
“I think a lot of people who come into it aren’t prepared for how tough and demanding it is.”
Government advertising campaigns showing classrooms full of beaming children, do little to shatter these misconceptions about the job.
He said: “No lesson is like that. Some lessons leave you feeling really demoralised.
“But when it goes well it’s fantastic.
“I’m so glad I’m dealing with people, not spread sheets.”
Henry said some of the friends he made during his training for the postgraduate certificate had struggled.
He said: “One girl I know was miserable in her school, she felt humiliated, she couldn’t control the kids and she didn’t get much support from the staff.”
In contrast, Henry said he had good support from his fellow teachers at Brentwood, which made a real difference.
He said: “There’s a good team spirit at Brentwood.
“You can talk to other teachers about classes, and that’s really useful.”
After four years at the school, Henry said he is starting to think about moving on.
He said: “They say you should start looking for another school after about three or four years to keep challenging yourself.
“If I left, I know I’d feel really happy with what I’ve done for the past four years.”
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