The region’s new recruitment portal, created by schools for schools, was launched today by SCHOOLS NorthEast.

Jobs in Schools | North East aims to bring all vacancies – teaching and non-teaching – in the region’s schools into one place to create a one-stop-shop for candidates to access career opportunities. Operating on a not-for-profit basis, the initiative will save North East schools thousands of pounds which can be channelled back into improving education for young people in the region.

SCHOOLS NorthEast will reinvest any surplus generated via the portal to further support schools to recruit teaching talent, including marketing the North East as a career destination to teachers nationally and internationally.

North East schools are facing recruitment issues on an unprecedented scale as they seek to fill vacancies in the region’s classrooms, according to a survey by SCHOOLS NorthEast.

SCHOOLS NorthEast has warned that education establishments face an uphill battle with nearly 9 in 10 (89%) of Head Teachers reporting issues with recruiting staff in the past year.

Nearly 3 in 4 (72%) school leaders anticipate that finding teaching talent will become more difficult in the future.

Mike Parker, Director of SCHOOLS NorthEast, said: “Quality teaching is the lifeblood of our region’s future. We need to attract brilliant teachers who inspire pupils and give them the skills for life. North East schools face significant challenges in finding quality teachers and the recruitment process can be a lengthy and costly experience. Our aim with this initiative is to give prospective candidates the widest view of the job opportunities available to them in the region’s schools.

“Nationally, nearly two thirds of schools are making ‘significant’ cuts or dipping into reserves to stave off deficits and four in five school leaders say that budget cuts will have a negative impact on standards.  In the North East, our school leaders report an ever more difficult drive to reduce unnecessary expenditure and focus it on where it really matters: on our students and young people. This regional recruitment solution will support North East schools to attract and retain the best teaching talent.”