CONTRIBUTORS
Are curriculum realities stifling recruitment?
This month NAOMI HOWELLS, Managing Director at recruitment specialist Class People and regular Education Today columnist, contemplates whether the current state of the UK curriculum is having a negative impact on recruitment and retention.
On 22 November this year, the UK government closed a call for evidence to a Curriculum and Assessment Review, seeking views from schools, educators, parents, and charities. Government wanted insight into how the curriculum and standards need to develop, maintaining exemplary international performance while shifting to better suit current needs. Naturally, the consultation got us exploring what the curriculum means, what changes are needed, and how it
might better serve pupils, but also whether a shift in the curriculum might better serve teachers and recruiters too.
Amid the growing issue of teacher retention, there are a number of key issues that need to be addressed. The outflow from full-time teaching, either to part-time supply teaching, or a total exit from industry, are often fuelled by the pressure of workload, along with the lack of flexibility offered by the role. In part, this is the result of staff shortages and the pressure of poor pupil behaviour, but there are many that also cite the restrictions of the curriculum and the fact that it is ‘overloaded’ and unrealistic. These are sentiments echoed by pupils who often cite a feeling that they are ‘racing’ through content, without the time to properly consolidate or enjoy their learning.
Focus on extensive knowledge acquisition and exam-based testing at the exclusion of creative learning is an issue, with many teachers stating they lack the freedom to do what they do best: teach. Many feel stifled by the core curriculum, and the pressure for pupils to pass tests offers little in the way of recompense. Add to this the growing remit of teachers, within the bounds of an intensive curriculum, and the pressure is on. The government is asking and expecting teachers to embrace new technologies, support digital skills, tackle social media and AI, and act often as a surrogate parent, which is ultimately degrading the way teachers teach, and the way pupils learn. The cost? An outflow of teachers that isn’t counterbalanced by a slew of new recruits.
Core knowledge and testing have their place, no doubt, but the balance has shifted to a point where teachers feel unable, or unwilling to inspire their classes. If we’re lucky, they switch to supply teacher work as a mental balm, but there are hundreds of qualified experts being lost from the sector every year. It’s also presenting challenges to recruiting those who might have historically considered a career change; people who previously would have been highly prized for their industry knowledge and experience, now find themselves stifled by the core curriculum, and expected to focus on knowledge acquisition from a potentially outdated curriculum. There’s little more uninspiring than that.
There is no doubt that the UK holds its own in the international league tables, keeping pace with Canada and the Scandinavian Countries. Yet I, for one, welcome renewed focus on ensuring an innovative and adapted curriculum in a way that suits pupils, while allowing teachers to teach again. This will be key to solving the retention and recruitment crisis, and transforming the quality of schooling.
24
www.education-today.co.uk
What does effective appraisal look like? In his column for Education Today
this month, GARETH CONYARD of the Teacher Development Trust discusses the merits of appraisals and why the establishment of proper appraisal processes should be viewed as an investment .
As a charity dedicated to supporting effective professional development, it is no surprise that we have spent time thinking about the appraisal of performance. After all, if you want to have a positive conversation about which areas you would like to develop, it is important to start with understanding how you are performing now.
But too often, appraisal becomes conflated with other processes – for example, task management, pupil performance tracking, or pay conversations – leaving little space for a considered discussion about professional development. We’ve been working with education workforce development and policy implementation specialist, Kathryn Morgan, to dig into this important area so we can better understand the challenges and potential responses.
Our initial work suggests that there are three key challenges to begin with. First, appraisal conversations are seen as time- consuming, at best being seen as beneficial but impossible to fit into busy timetables, or at worst as an unhelpful burden, taking people away from the ‘real’ job of teaching.
Second, they can be seen as inherently demotivating, with a tendency to focus much more on what is going wrong rather than areas of strength, which can lead to a lack of honesty from the person being appraised. If there is a sense, it will lead to unhelpful judgement.
And third, the nature of a one-to-one conversation means it inevitably focuses on individual performance in an environment where success is dependent on working together, sometimes pushing teachers towards competition rather than collaboration to the detriment of children and young people. There is no getting away from the fact that proper appraisal processes should take time, but rather than see that as a burden, it is important to recognise that it is an investment, both by the teacher being appraised (in their own career) and the school leader (in the talent in their setting). To help make this shift in mindset, think about the following recommendations. First, raise your sights and look beyond the immediate to a longer-term consideration of development. This means making a distinction between ‘in the moment’ feedback about a particular action (which should be done quickly and directly after the event) and a developmental conversation. Look at how somebody can grow over a number of years and support that process through the right interventions. These should be opportunities to reflect on how somebody is doing in their career journey. Second, be open to ideas and foster autonomy. The evidence shows (for example, our work with the NFER) that autonomy over professional development is the most important factor in supporting a positive attitude to a long-term teaching career. Effective appraisal conversations should allow for suggestions on how to develop to come from both sides. Third, find ways to recognise collective endeavours and achievements. If you want people to work well as part of a team, find ways to celebrate when that happens, including in one-to-one conversations.
Done well, appraisals can be a key way to create a positive culture – one that helps retention and achievement – within your school.
December 2024
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