Supply teacher recruitment campaign reaps returns for Highland schools

20th February 2014

The initial success of an advertising campaign to recruit supply teachers for Highland Council schools has resulted in the local authority running a second recruitment campaign.

Members of the Council’s Adult and Children’s Services committee were today (19 February) informed that a recruitment campaign using advertorials in local and national newspapers in December 2013 attracted expressions of interest from 52 teachers. The 52 teachers are now going through the council’s recruitment process in order to employ them as supply teachers.

As the actions to increase the supply cover pool of teachers were successful, a second advertising campaign took place at the beginning of February. The campaign to recruit supply teachers came about due to shortages and difficulties in sourcing supply teachers in all schools, urban and rural across every part of the Highlands.

In addition, Head Teachers have been reporting that they are spending increasingly more time sourcing supply teachers and so in order to help reduce the administrative effort in sourcing supply teachers, the Education Service is piloting a project with High Life Highland in four associated school groups. High Life Highland administrative staff will provide an out of hour’s service to contact and place supply teachers on behalf of Head Teachers.

Councillor Alasdair Christie, Chairman of the Adult and Children’s Services Committee said: “These early results of the first phase of the advertising campaign are very positive. We welcome every expression of interest from teachers. All the necessary training and support will be provided for anyone who comes forward and we urge anyone with the slightest interest to get in touch.”

The effectiveness of the advertising campaigns and the supply teacher sourcing pilot will be reported back to a future Adult and Children’s Services Committee.

The Council is still interested in hearing from teachers across all geographic areas who may be willing to consider joining the Highland Council supply teacher lists. Primary and Secondary Teachers, including those able to teach through the medium of Gaelic, are urgently needed.

Anyone interested in finding out more should phone the Education, Culture and Sport Service on 01463 702734 / 735 or e-mail: ECSStaffing.Teaching[AT]highland.gov.uk or apply at www.myjobscotland.gov.uk