Are you making the most of the government’s teacher recruitment service?

The DfE is inviting all schools in England to use its free service to advertise teaching vacancies – and invest the millions spent every year on recruitment back into education

As we approach the end of the school year there is often a peak in the number of teachers who hand in their notice – keen to start somewhere else from September. The Department for Education has provided a timely reminder that its free teaching vacancies service is available to all schools in England to advertise teaching posts.
First unveiled last year as part of the DfE’s efforts to help schools clamp down on costs, Teaching Vacancies was launched in full in April – and more than 8,000 schools (38%) nationwide are already using the service.
The website is intended to eradicate expensive charges when advertising available roles – costs which the DfE says can amount to more than £1,000 per advert with some agencies. Schools can advertise full, part-time and job-share roles using the free-of-charge service.
Finding the best is expensive
Education secretary Damian Hinds has called on schools to stop using agencies that charge excessive fees – urging them, instead, to sign up to the service and slash the up-to-£75 million currently spent every year to advertise jobs.
“Teachers are the beating heart of our education system and school leaders want to make sure they recruit the best to inspire students – but finding the best has become very expensive,” he said.
“With every school in the country now having access to this completely free site, I am calling on schools to ditch platforms that charge a fee. Why spend £1,000 on a service you can get for free?
“[As] teachers may be thinking about their next classroom move, I want to make sure school leaders are signed up to this free site – allowing them to maximise the money they have to spend in our schools.”
Using the service
Accounts are available to those working in a publicly-funded school or trust providing primary or secondary education in England. You will need authorisation from your headteacher or CEO – ask them to send your full name and email address to [email protected], or send in an email directly with your details and copy in your headteacher or CEO.
Once you have an account, you can list your teaching job vacancies – which jobseekers everywhere can search for free – and view the progress of jobs you have previously listed on the website. You will need the following details of the vacant role in order to list a vacancy:

• duties and responsibilities;
• salary range;
• working pattern (full-time or part-time);
• candidate specifications (essential education, qualifications and experience);
• your contact email and a link to the existing application page;
• the date the role needs to be listed; and
• the application deadline.

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