Five teachers since start of the term: economics does not add up

I don’t know that I entirely agree that turnover is in line with the rest of the public sector. Certainly my experience at the Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre is that for those unfortunate students trying to study for A-level Economics, so far in this school year alone they have had five different teachers, none permanent and only two were Economics teachers. This is for the four-week period since term commenced (Thursday 6 September 2018 to Wednesday 3 October).

The broad summary is that two permanent Economics teachers resigned before the end of the summer 2018 term. They weren’t replaced in time for the start of the new school year, albeit I can see from the States website that interviews are scheduled for 15 October 2018.

No announcement was made to the current cohort of Economics students or their parents/carers, rather a fill-in teacher #1 was found from within the school. They weren’t an Economics teacher but took the class for three days. Next an Economics bank teacher #1 was recruited from the UK, with all the cost to the taxpayer that this incurs. He left after three days. Next fill-in teacher #2 took the class for a day and then fill-in teacher #3 took the class for the next seven days. On Thursday 27 September an Economics bank teacher #2 was secured, again from the UK. The students were advised that Economics bank teacher #2 would stay until the end of term. Next day though, those students learned that Economics bank teacher #2 needed an operation in half term but hoped to be back in time for the start of the next half term.

You couldn’t make this up.

This transition in the education system has a lot to answer for.

Name and address withheld.