Archived decisions

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCHOOL WORKFORCE

1. The Executive Member for Education has considered a detailed report on several issues relating to the Education workforce which will start to impact on schools during the 2003/04 academic year. He did so in the light of advice on the subject from the Education Policy Review Committee. The salient issues are: teacher recruitment and retention; school workforce remodelling; the impact of the pay and benefits project; and the procedure for recruitment of new headteachers where school reorganisations are under way.

2. Over the past few years there have been significant difficulties with teacher recruitment and retention, but the position on recruitment is improving this year. Among the initiatives which have proved successful are the effective arrangements for recruitment of newly qualified teachers; taster and returner courses to encourage people into the teaching profession; graduate teacher placements in Hampshire schools; and the Government's starter homes initiative. The latter has helped overcome the problems posed by high house prices in Hampshire, although there are doubts as to whether the scheme will continue beyond the current financial year. The encouraging progress with recruitment now needs to be matched by work on retaining teachers, particularly newly qualified teachers, and providing support necessary to enable them to develop within the profession.

3. There is a programme of school workforce remodelling under way which, on a phased basis over the next three years, aims to transfer routine administrative tasks from teachers to support staff, with the aim of enabling teachers to concentrate on teaching, planning, preparation and assessment. This programme will go some way to mitigating the heavy workloads and excessive paperwork which are two of the negative factors which lead to teachers, especially newly qualified teachers, leaving the profession. Some funding towards school workforce remodelling is being allocated by the Department for Education and Skills, but more will be needed in order to fund sufficient staff to make this approach fully effective.

4. The County Council's pay and benefits project has an impact on schools, which are developing role profiles for their non-teaching staff as the basis for evaluation within the new pay structure. These arrangements will apply to all support staff including those involved in the workforce remodelling referred to in paragraph 3 above. The outcome of the project will be reflected within the budget planning processes for 2004/05.

5. The opportunity has been taken to review the procedure for the appointment of a new headteacher in cases where schools are being reorganised. Recent experience shows that the appointment of a new headteacher early in the process is a key component to the successful implementation of any change. To that end, and to achieve continuity, it is proposed to allow for the appointment of a new headteacher to be effective two terms before the new school is due to open. Again the budgetary consequences will be reflected within the budget planning processes for 2004/05.

6. The Executive Member for Education has therefore approved that the measures to support recruitment and retention of staff, as outlined in paragraph 2 above, should continue to receive high priority; has endorsed the support for schools and the approach being adopted to implement school workforce remodelling as set out in paragraph 3 above; and has agreed to arrangements for the early appointment of headteachers for newly reorganised schools two terms before the new school is due to open, on the basis set out in paragraph 5 above; and has accepted that the financial implications will be taken into account when the budget for 2004/05 is prepared.

D.G. ALLEN
Executive Member for
Education

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