Experience is surely a top priority for any senior leader when recruiting for a new teacher. Schools naturally want to know that whoever they hire has a history of strong classroom performance that will translate into better exam results and happier pupils.
Yet a holistic hiring strategy will take more factors into account than a packed resume. While hiring experienced teachers should remain a top-level goal, schools can also benefit from the presence of those who haven’t yet had time to develop their talents.
Protocol Education’s Future Teacher Programme places young graduates with an interest in education into schools to carry out learning support roles. These placements prepare the graduates for formal teacher training.
The schools that take part aren’t just fulfilling their responsibilities to the next generation of educators. They also see tangible advantages from the scheme and value added to their pupils’ education.
1. The gift of new outlooks
The institutional character and systems of any school are largely influenced by its longest-standing staff members. This is only natural, but schools run the risk of falling behind without exposure to newer perspectives.
Recent graduates are fresh out of their degrees and bursting with contemporary ideas. Their enthusiasm and outlooks can offer more experienced members of staff a window into how young, aspiring educators - and younger people as a whole – conceive of education.
2. Their teaching methods are tried-and-tested
Recent graduates on our Future Teacher Programme perform a similar function to teaching assistants, complementing the work of the teacher and helping pupils in small group sessions.
When performed properly, these kind of targeted interventions are proven to lift pupils’ attainment by up to 4 months’ worth of additional progress.
We ensure all our Future Teachers are given sufficient training to carry out these roles effectively, and provide them access to Continuing Professional Development courses. Schools can take confidence from the mounds of evidence for the power of this method of education, particularly for the most under-performing pupils.
3. They are ready-made role models
The presence of a role model can be one of the most significant motivators in a child’s life, helping them overcome barriers to learning. For instance, when girls have role models, they are 15% more likely to imagine themselves working in STEM fields.
A relatable role model can put children on the right paths in their education. Placing bright young people in classrooms doesn’t just give the teacher another hand on deck. It also gives pupils access to an example of accomplishment – in some cases, only a few years older than them - who they might feel more able to approach for guidance or confidence than an older member of staff. This modest, time-limited hire could well have deep and lasting effects on your pupils’ courses through life.
4. You can help shape your own future workforce
Taking on new graduates who have expressed an interest in education gives your school a chance to draw the outline of your future teaching staff years in advance.
For many of the graduates who sign up to our Future Teacher Programme, their experience will determine whether they choose to go ahead with a career in education. If your school makes an effort to nurture their talents, then you will gain their loyalty and increase the probability that they will seek full-time positions at your school once they have completed their teacher training.
To facilitate this, Protocol Education permits schools to move their assigned graduates straight onto ‘in-school’ teacher training programmes.
The Future Teacher Programme is both a cost-effective way of helping your pupils thrive and an investment in the future of your school’s recruitment success.
Click here to arrange for your own Future Teacher’s first placement.
