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VIEWS & OPINION
How digital transformation in the offer for new staff can help to attract the right staff
Comment by RACHEL HOPE, Deputy Director of Digital Transformation at the Department for Education
Like most other professions, teachers had to find new ways of working during the pandemic. Being forced to teach outside the traditional classroom setting meant that technology has played an even bigger role in how children are taught. In fact, during the pandemic, the UK’s educational technology sector (edtech) saw a massive 71.5% growth. This was almost four times the previous year-on-year growth figure of 17.9%. Technology has certainly been a great help to teachers, what it hasn’t done however, is become a replacement for teachers. Even though schools are back up and running, teachers have adapted their skills to incorporate many of the technologies they were using when they were teaching digitally. Digital skills and adaptability will be crucial for any teacher hoping to deliver successful lessons. Any schools looking to attract this type of teacher is now going to have to show that it is just as digitally flexible.
Attracting the right people What makes a good teacher? Intelligence, patience, adaptability and good communication skills are just a few of the traits really good teachers possess. Whatever other traits you look for in your new teacher hires, you will always want the very best. Once you know what you are looking for, the more
important question then becomes, how do you attract the right person to your school? There are three rules which I believe will always help you get the best talent. Let people be themselves: You are hiring a teacher because
of their personality and the skills they bring to the table. It would be counterproductive to try and mould them into something else. Offering a workplace where diverse styles and personalities can flourish will help attract the best candidates. Play to their strengths: As with encouraging diversity, letting
candidates know that their unique abilities will be magnified to allow them to demonstrate just how good they are, will make your school an attractive place to work. Results are important but inspiring learning is just as
important: When advertising for teachers, making it understood that your school values teachers who want to inspire lifelong learning just as much as you want a teacher
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www.education-today.co.uk
who can help students pass exams can also inspire the best candidates to work for you.
The added ingredient What many schools haven’t caught up with yet is the impact a good digital strategy can actually have on recruitment. This element brings together the three rules and can make your school an even more attractive proposition. Since the pandemic, many teachers have had to adapt swiftly and to focus on honing digital education skills and coordinating remote learning, while finding innovative ways to prioritise their pupils’ wellbeing needs. Giving potential candidates the confidence that those newly acquired skills will be put to good use can help tip the balance in your favour. Emphasising a digital strategy and technologies that give
teachers the opportunity to design engaging lessons can make for an attractive offer. Another way a good digital offer can help in recruiting the right people, is by offering the opportunity for blended learning. This allows for more flexibility in the way a teacher can approach lessons. Giving the opportunity to use multiple methods to deliver learning by combining face-to-face interactions with online activities is a good way to encourage more autonomy and innovative lessons from your teachers. Schools now have many digitally native children. It is vital
that teachers have the tools to be able to support them in their learning. If schools want to attract the right type of teacher, a good digital strategy is going to be vital. Highlighting your digital offering is a great way to encourage the best candidates to consider applying for your school and will serve to make your school the best possible learning environment for your pupils.
Utilising digital resources for recruitment Using a digital strategy will not only help you to attract talent but it’s a pivotal part of recruitment now too. The Department for Education’s Teaching Vacancies website offers schools the best opportunity to reach the widest pool of candidates and to show potential candidates what they have to offer. When the service launched in 2019, PwC research estimated schools spend up to £75m per year on teacher recruitment advertising. Teaching Vacancies aims to help schools reduce that expenditure considerably, if not entirely. The website is free and easy-to-use to help schools recruit the best teachers and enable job-seeking teachers to find their role - four in five (80%) schools are already signed up to use the service. Since January 2022, jobs listed on the service were viewed
over 3 million times - vacancies are seen nationally, attracting a wider talent pool. Using the service instead of paying for recruitment advertising saves schools time and money which can be put back where it’s needed most, in the classroom.
If you’re a school looking to recruit excellent teachers, visit
teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk
May 2022
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