Financial incentives and flexible working practices can boost county’s teacher recruitment and retention - Government

Financial incentives and more flexible working practices are two ways to improve teacher recruitment and retention in Lincolnshire, the Government has said.

Maintaining staff in many of the county’s schools has proven a major problem in recent years, with Ken Rustidge, the Lincolnshire-based secretary of the National Education Union, describing salaries as a ‘major disincentive to come into teaching’.

However, Minister of State for Education Catherine McKinnell says the tide is turning.

“Although the minimum starting salary for teachers in Lincolnshire increased to £30,000 from 2023/24, the department knows fair pay going forward is key to ensuring teaching is an attractive and respected profession,” the MP for Newcastle Upon Tyne North said.

“This is why this Government has accepted the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendation of a 5.5% pay award for teachers and leaders in maintained schools from September.

“The department is providing schools with almost £1.1 billion in additional funding, in financial year 2024/25, to support schools with overall costs.

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“This matches what we have calculated is needed to fully fund, at a national level, the teacher pay award and the support staff pay offer in financial year 2024/25, over and above the overall available headroom in schools’ existing budgets.”

Ms McKinnell pointed out ‘recruiting more teachers is a key part of the opportunity mission’ but also stated ‘this Government is also committed to tackling long-standing retention challenges to ensure teachers stay and thrive in the profession’.

“This is why the department is continuing to support mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers, who chose to work in disadvantaged schools, through retention payments worth up to £3,000 after tax,” she continued.

“For the 2023/24 academic year, teachers in 55 schools in the Lincolnshire local authority were eligible for these retention payments.

“To further help retention, the department is also addressing teacher workload and wellbeing and supporting schools to introduce flexible working practices.

“Lapal School of Hales Valley Trust, as one of the department’s flexible working ambassador schools, is helping schools across East Midlands and Lincolnshire to introduce flexible working practices.”

Ms McKinnell was responding to a written question from South Holland and the Deepings MP Sir John Hayes, who questioned ‘what steps she is taking to improve recruitment and retention rates of teachers in schools in Lincolnshire.’

Last year Mr Rustidge told LincsOnline that he felt pay was ‘the biggest reason is the teacher recruitment and retention crisis’, adding workload, conditions and geography added to the issue.

“The situation is particularly bad in Lincolnshire,” he said.