Bexhill beats national teacher shortage

Head teachers across the town are eager to get children back down to hard work as schools in the town can celebrate being among the few nationally to remain fully staffed.

Mike Conn, Head Teacher at Bexhill High School, feels this is a town that makes teachers stay put. "I think there are a couple of reasons teachers stay here. It's quite a tight community and it is also a place where there aren't a tremendous number of schools here. It's not the most expensive place to live either.

"I also think we do a good job in supporting our staff in this town.

"We have a good liaison between heads and we are an improving area educationally. For these reasons it is an attractive place to develop as a teacher."

A similar sentiment was expressed across Bexhill's schools.

Mary Jackson, Head Teacher at St Mary Magdalene's Catholic Primary, said: "We haven't been affected by the teacher shortage. We have a stable staff body, most have been here for a long time. Now the school has moved to a smaller building we have been focusing on scaling down to one form at entry. This has alleviated any pressure on staff."

Tony Campbell, principal at St Richard's Catholic College, is not so positive about the wider picture for the teaching profession.

He said: "I am fully staffed but there is definitely a problem recruiting staff. We are not getting the same numbers applying for positions as we used to.

"I am extremely worried about it, and while we get support from East Sussex County Council, there are not enough men and women coming into the profession."

Sue Conaway, acting Head Teacher at King Offa Primary School also feels it is important to recognise the significance of a teacher shortage.

Security checks being carried out on school staff nationwide following the murder of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells have caused difficulties.

If checks were not completed before the start of the school term, with no replacement teachers in place, children could have faced a pro-longed holiday. School security p3.