Teaching assistants (TAs) in England are taking second jobs to
supplement their income during the cost-of-living crisis,
according to a new report of teachers and school leaders.
Findings within NFER’s report, Cost-of-living crisis: Impact on
schools - School staff, show that the vast majority of senior
leaders – at 82 per cent in special schools, 75 per cent in
primaries and 72 per cent in secondaries – are reporting some of
their TAs taking up additional employment.
Some schools also highlighted how the crisis is leading TAs to
quit in favour of better paid jobs in other sectors (such as
roles in hospitality and retail) that offer either increased pay
or more working hours.
Cost saving measures taken by schools in response to
cost-of-living increases have only intensified the workload
pressures on staff and made retention more challenging.
Furthermore, cost-of-living increases have compounded pressures
on school budgets, limiting the salaries schools are able to
offer potential TAs and support staff at a time when staff are
having to contend with pressure on their personal finances. For
example, 45 per cent of secondary and special schools and 34 per
cent of primary schools report that low salaries are the single
biggest barrier to recruiting TAs.
In the study, conducted in collaboration with ASK Research and
funded by the Nuffield Foundation, NFER recently asked more than
2,500 senior leaders and teachers in mainstream schools, and more
than 100 in special schools in England, a series of questions to
understand the impacts of cost-of-living pressures on schools*.
NFER Research Director and report co-author, Jenna Julius,
said:
“The cost-of-living pressures are intensifying existing
recruitment and retention challenges. Staff and potential
applicants are more likely to look for higher paying and less
pressurised jobs outside the sector while budget pressures are
limiting the salaries which schools can afford.
“We welcome the Government’s plans to refresh the current teacher
recruitment strategy and our previous NFER research has outlined
the urgent need for this. Our report published today further
highlights the importance of revisiting this strategy and indeed
extending its scope.
“A new long-term workforce strategy, including teaching
assistants, school support staff and tutors, alongside teachers
and leaders, is needed. For wider support staff, this should
include looking at whether pay is competitive enough to attract
and retain sufficient high-quality staff.”
Nuffield Foundation Programme Head, Ruth Maisey said:
“Teaching assistants play a critical role within schools, running
intervention groups to improve children’s outcomes and supporting
teachers with a heavy workload. It’s vital for pupils and
teaching staff alike that a schools’ workforce strategy
incorporates teaching assistants and support staff, as well as
teachers and leaders.”
Further key findings from the report show:
- Less than half of teachers can afford to pay an unexpected
expense outright. Teachers are making similar lifestyle and
spending changes to the wider British population in response to
cost-of-living pressures on their finances.
- Cost-of-living pressures have amplified existing recruitment
and retention challenges in schools.
- The overwhelming majority of schools are struggling to
recruit TAs and other support staff. Among schools who had to
recruit staff into these roles over the last 12-months, 90 per
cent of special schools, 80 per cent of primaries and 75 per cent
of secondaries report difficulties recruiting other support
staff. Large numbers of TA and other support staff vacancies
remained vacant for more than two months, especially among
special schools**.
- Among the senior leaders who recruited teaching staff in the
last 12-months, nearly all (88 per cent) secondary schools report
that teacher recruitment was difficult over the last year. Only a
fifth of secondary schools who tried to recruit teachers managed
to fill their vacancies within two months.
- A substantial proportion of primary and special school senior
leaders also reported facing difficulties recruiting teachers,
albeit lower than in the secondary sector (59 per cent of primary
and 77 per cent of special senior leaders).
- Half of schools across all settings are struggling to recruit
teachers with the required specialist skills and experience.
Similarly, around three-quarters of schools are unable to recruit
TAs with the required specialist skills and expertise.
The report makes the following key recommendation:
The Government should prioritise the refresh of the teacher
recruitment and retention strategy and extend its scope. A wider
education workforce strategy is needed that has a long-term
focus, and includes teaching assistants, school support staff and
tutors as well as teachers and leaders. For wider support staff,
this should include looking at whether pay is competitive enough
to attract and retain sufficient high-quality staff.
This paper looks at the impact of the cost-of-living on
school workforce. It is the final in a series of three
cost-of-living reports that have been published in September. The
first looked at the impact on pupils and
familiesand the second focused on the impact on school
provision resulting from cost-of-living
pressures.
