This toolkit provides a comprehensive range of strategies designed to be implemented at varying levels, for schools seeking to effectively recruit, train, and retain high-quality teachers. It offers actionable guidance on promoting pathways into teacher training, engaging with Initial Teacher Educator (ITE) providers, and fostering a supportive environment that promotes long-term retention.
Whether you are a small rural or a large urban school, a LA Maintained, MAT or MAC school, this toolkit is designed to support your school to contribute towards Building the Teaching Workforce Together.
Contact your local Teaching School Hub & ITE providers to let them know you are interested and ask them who you can engage with/support, and how.
Promote ‘Get into Teaching’ include promotional links on your school websites to the variety of pathways to ‘get into teaching’.
Connect and share on socials (pathways and providers) to community networks through regular school comms (e.g., Newsletter, social media posts).
Share positive stories, case studies and testimonials of colleagues and ex-trainees (associated with your school), showcasing career progression, opportunities and CPD.
Register as a school on ‘DfE Apply’ as a ‘location’ for potential applicants to find/search train to teach providers in close proximity to their postcode.
Offer ‘School Experience’ tasters (typically 0.5 or 1 day) to potential applicants.
Offer enhanced placements (1-5 days) as part of an ITE programme, focussing on a phase, type, or specialist area of education (e.g. PRU, Special School, EYFS, Post-16).
Offer Intensive Training & Practice (ITAP) placements to ITE providers (typically 1-2 days) to allow trainees to observe practices and apply learning.
Offer shorter ITE programme placements (typically 8-12 weeks) with mentoring of trainees.
Offer longer ITE programme placements (typically 12-20 weeks) with mentoring of trainees.
Offer whole-year placements (e.g. to trainee A in Autumn & Summer Terms and Trainee B in the Spring term) with mentoring.
Facilitate sessions for ITE providers on specialist areas and fundamental concepts in education (typically 1.5 – 6 hours).
Talent Spotting – Promote routes into teaching for graduates and current school staff (e.g TAs, Technicians, Librarians or Non-Teaching Pastoral) via ‘Step into Teaching’ and salaried/funded and non-funded Undergraduate and Post-graduate pathways.
Share these myths and misconceptions-busters about teacher training and teaching to inform potential applicants about the profession.
Develop a strong post-ITE training offer for staff considering career progression, ECF, NPQs, Curriculum Hubs, CPD for M3-M6 teachers, other CPD.
Put a banner on your school gates/perimeter fencing to show your community that they can access teacher training locally.
Use CEIAG lessons, events and articles to educate students and promote teaching as a career choice.
Supporting former teachers returning to the classroom using this mini toolkit and resources from gov.uk.
Other practical and innovative approaches to recruitment
Include ‘Train to Teach’ signposting to local providers or DfE materials as an email footnote or signature strip.
Consider flexible working arrangements for staff Explore the DfE’s Flexible Working Toolkit for Schools and Trusts
Download and complete your Toolkit audit now
John Taylor has been a SCITT, providing high quality teacher training, since 2014 and we have gradually expanded our provision each year to include a variety of routes: Secondary subject and Primary (5-11 and 3-7 years) routes, salaried and unsalaried routes, QTS only, and the option to train part time.
We have a proven track record of recruiting and training talented teachers and retaining a large proportion of them in our local area due to the excellent reputation that we have built up over the years.
Follow and share content on your school accounts from these below to reach your community:
ITE providers in the West Midlands
Connect with ITE providers in the West Midlands – click here to access a map of local and national Accredited providers.
Connect with ITE providers on social media from the districts covered by the John Taylor Teaching School Hub region or in the immediate surrounding districts:
Share positive stories, case studies and testimonials of colleagues and ex-trainees (associated with your school), showcasing career progression, opportunities and CPD.
Register as a school on ‘DfE Apply’ as a ‘location’ for potential applicants to find/search train to teach providers in close proximity to their postcode.
Offer ‘School Experience’ tasters (typically 0.5 or 1 day) to potential applicants.
Offer enhanced placements (1-5 days) as part of an ITE programme, focussing on a phase, type, or specialist area of education (e.g. PRU, Special School, EYFS, Post-16).
Offer Intensive Training & Practice (ITAP) placements to ITE providers (typically 1-2 days) to allow trainees to observe practices and apply learning.
Offer shorter ITE programme placements (typically 8-12 weeks) with mentoring of trainees.
Offer longer ITE programme placements (typically 12-20 weeks) with mentoring of trainees.
Offer whole-year placements (e.g. to trainee A in Autumn & Summer Terms and Trainee B in the Spring term) with mentoring.
Facilitate sessions for ITE providers on specialist areas and fundamental concepts in education (typically 1.5 – 6 hours).
Talent Spotting – Promote routes into teaching for suitably qualified staff (e.g. TAs, Technicians, Librarians, non-teaching pastoral or DSLs) via Salaried routes, Apprenticeships, Undergraduate or Post-graduate pathways.
Share these myths and misconceptions-busters about teacher training and teaching to inform potential applicants about the profession.
Develop a strong post-ITE training offer for staff considering career progression, ECF, NPQs, Curriculum Hubs, CPD for M3-M6 teachers, other CPD.
Put a banner on your school gates/perimeter fencing to show your community that they can access teacher training locally.
Use CEIAG lessons, events and articles to educate students and promote teaching as a career choice.
Other practical and innovative approaches to recruitment
Include ‘Train to Teach’ signposting to local providers or DfE materials as an email footnote or signature strip.
Consider including a QR code to allow email recipients quick access (Parents, Local Community and Sixth Form students)
An example of an email footnote could look like this:
Do you know someone who is interested in training to teach? Send them this [insert QR code]
Pre-populated posts:
Other:
Promote the Department for Education’s train to teach recruitment events
Follow and share content on your school accounts from these below to reach your community:
ITE providers in the West Midlands
Connect with ITE providers in the West Midlands – click here to access a map of local and national Accredited providers.
Connect with ITE providers on social media from the districts covered by the John Taylor Teaching School Hub region or in the immediate surrounding districts:
