Essex County Council relaunches teacher recruitment campaign

Former teachers are being encouraged to return to the profession as Essex County Council relaunches a campaign to help tackle the recruitment challenge in schools.

A first cohort of 40 ex-teachers successfully completed the council’s first free Return to Teaching programme earlier this year, with a number securing teaching posts within weeks of finishing.

A second round of the Return to Teaching programme, which is free to participants, gets underway next month and applications must be made by Thursday, 28 September.

Cllr Ray Gooding, Essex County Council’s cabinet member for education, said: “We work closely with the county’s schools and actively support them with the challenge of teacher recruitment and retention.

“The first round of our Return to Teaching programme was extremely successful and I was very pleased that so many of the participants were successful in securing jobs.

“A strong supply of good quality teachers is vital in ensuring pupils in Essex continue to receive the best possible education and attracting yet more talented teachers back to the profession would be another big boost.

“Whether people have taken time out to raise a family, pursue another career or for any other reason, our programme could give them just the help and support they need.”

Of those who have secured a teaching job after completing the programme is Sabrina Smith.

After completing the intensive course, Sabrina secured a return to the profession with a job at Layer de la Haye Primary, near Colchester.

She said: “The Return to Teaching programme gave me the confidence I needed to apply for a position.

“As well as assessment and curriculum updates and how this might look in planning and teaching, the course leaders offered valuable advice about the application process and lots of encouragement.

“They reminded us that if we were good teachers previously, we would be good teachers again.

“I took that advice on board and applied for jobs I might otherwise not have done, and actively sought feedback.”