Sponsored by SENcare Recruitment
This award recognises an educational establishment which has invested in its recruitment methods and processes to ensure a timely intake of appropriate teaching and support staff.
2025 Winner: Exeter College, Devon
Further Education colleges face lower funding for staff pay compared to schools, making recruitment difficult – especially in engineering and construction, where industry salaries are high. Many skilled professionals in these fields never consider teaching. Previously, Exeter College's recruitment campaigns underperformed: traditional adverts generated few applications, processes were complex, and advertising spend lacked value. In summer 2024, the College created eye-catching, plain-speaking adverts, trained its People Team and targeted ideal candidates through tailored channels. The application process was streamlined and a graduate scheme was launched. Applications more than doubled, hard-to-fill roles were successfully recruited, and the college now attracts top talent – proving that bold, innovative recruitment can drive real change.
Commended
All Saints Catholic College, London
All Saints Catholic College in London has introduced innovative recruitment and retention strategies to attract and support high-quality educators. A key initiative allows teachers to have a double period off one morning each week, giving them the flexibility to start later and use the time for personal activities such as exercise or family commitments. Headteacher Andrew O’Neill emphasises the importance of treating teachers like “elite athletes,” ensuring they feel valued and supported. This approach has led to increased job satisfaction and a better work-life balance. Such initiatives make the school an appealing choice for educators seeking a positive and supportive work environment.
Dixons Academies Trust, West Yorkshire
Dixons Academies Trust employs a comprehensive recruitment process to attract top talent. Prospective candidates are required to complete a standard application form; CVs alone are not accepted. The application encompasses sections on immigration details, personal information, education and qualifications, professional memberships, employment history, a supporting statement, references, availability, and equality and diversity monitoring. Shortlisting is conducted by the recruitment team and subject specialists, focusing on applicants who demonstrate a strong belief in the potential of every child, regardless of background. Shortlisted candidates undergo a face-to-face interview, which may include teaching scenarios or other assessments relevant to the role. Successful applicants receive conditional offers, subject to satisfactory references, verification of qualifications, and enhanced DBS checks. This rigorous approach ensures that Dixons Academies Trust maintains high standards in staff recruitment.
Watford Grammar School for Girls, Hertfordshire
Watford Grammar School for Girls has achieved significant recruitment success by prioritising staff development and fostering a supportive work environment. In early 2022, the school transitioned from a traditional paper-based appraisal system to an automated platform, streamlining processes and enhancing professional growth opportunities. This personalised approach to staff appraisal has cultivated a culture of continuous professional learning, making the school an attractive workplace for educators seeking a dynamic and engaging environment. By aligning individual development goals with institutional priorities, WGGS ensures that staff feel valued and integral to the school’s vision. These initiatives not only improve job satisfaction but also strengthen the school’s ability to attract and retain top teaching talent, demonstrating the impact of strategic investment in staff development.
St. Paul's Way School, London
St. Paul's Way Trust School in East London has enhanced its recruitment process by embracing flexible working arrangements, making it an attractive workplace for educators. Teachers and support staff have the option to work flexibly in various ways, including increased planning, preparation, and assessment (PPA) time and opportunities to work from home. The school also encourages sabbaticals, career breaks, and secondments, demonstrating a commitment to staff well-being and professional development. These initiatives have not only improved job satisfaction but have also strengthened the school's ability to attract and retain top teaching talent, addressing broader challenges in teacher recruitment and retention.
Charles Dickens Primary, London
Flexible working policies at Charles Dickens Primary School in Southwark, London, prioritise staff well-being. The school takes a proactive, solutions-focused approach, carefully considering all flexible working requests to create arrangements that benefit both staff and the institution. These agreements are set for fixed terms and regularly reviewed to ensure they remain effective. Headteacher Michael Eggleton highlights the importance of tailoring strategies to individual needs, including hybrid professional development and special leave for personal commitments. This dedication to flexibility has enhanced staff retention, making the school a highly desirable workplace for educators seeking a supportive environment.
2024 Winner: The Laurus Trust
The small recruitment team at Laurus created a unique online recruitment brand to increase attraction, promote the Trust as an employer of choice and shout about its culture and benefits. The brand has been a resounding success, with over 1000 registrations to its talent pool and a 140 per cent increase in website traffic. This, along with well-attended events and successful referral initiatives, meant the 2022/23 recruitment cycle saw a 13 per cent increase in applicants. By September 2023, 317 new staff were successfully appointed.
Commended
Anthem Schools Trust
The Hopedale Group
Robert Drake Primary School, London
2023 Winner: Berkhamsted School, Hertfordshire
Berkhamsted School comprises a family of six schools – a Pre-Prep, Prep, Boys, Girls and co-ed Sixth and a satellite girls Prep, Heatherton. The recent introduction of web recruitment has allowed for the anonymisation of candidates ahead of the selection for interview stage. This helps to limit any unconscious bias or preconceptions that might arise and allows for a focus solely on the skills and experience of each candidate. It also reports on and monitors the diversity of applicants. In conjunction with values-based interviews, which help informed decision making. Berkhamsted has demonstrated a progressive recruitment process which helps identify and recruit individuals who embody and thrive within the school values.
Commended
Shrewton CE Primary School, Wiltshire
Kingsbury Primary School, Lancashire
2022 Winner Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill, London
Commended
St John's CE Primary, Bradford
Plymouth CAST
United Learning
2021 Winner
High Hazels Academy, Sheffield
High Hazels Academy is part of United Learning, a large chain with over 80 primary and secondary schools across the UK. In order to address recruitment and retention challenges, the school’s leadership team undertook a programme of initiatives, including mentoring, continuing professional development (CPD), succession planning and flexible working. Strong communication has been central to the success of the new flexible working strategy. Voluntary staff turnover rates have reduced significantly in the same timeframe, dropping from 12.2% to 2.5% in 2019 for Key Stage 1, and from 10.9% to 4.9% for Key Stage 2. Recruitment costs have been reduced accordingly and in 2020, just 2 new teachers were required.
Commended
Cullompton Community College, Devon
White Meadows Primary School, West Sussex
Northern Education Trust
2020 Winner
Sturton-by-Stow Primary School, Lincoln
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sturton by Stow proved that it is possible to carry out interviews remotely and to appoint successfully by employing a process which involved shortlisting and interviewing via zoom. Following advice from HR, pre-employment checks were adapted so that they can be completed remotely whilst complying with safer recruitment. The School Business Manager held video calls with successful candidates, who displayed the necessary documents on the screen and then sent copies for verification by the local authority.
Commended
Northern Education Trust
Herts 4 Learning
2019 Winner
North Yorkshire Education Services/North Yorkshire County Council
A company set up by North Yorkshire County Council has a detailed understanding of overall school challenges and workforce needs. Working with candidates from start to finish, the project has enabled schools to recruit more effectively first time. The service has developed a bank of talent to meet the predicted demand for teachers on the coast. Within the first year, more than £18,000 saved in advertising costs and around £350,000 a term in supply agency costs avoided. Seventeen teachers have been recruited from outside the area.
Commended
Bridge Learning Campus, Bristol
As part of a highly successful recruitment drive, Bridge Learning Campus offered a financial ‘golden hello’ as well as opportunities to become a real leader in the school community. They didn’t set about recruiting just a maths teacher or a music teacher, but instead they just sought the very best teachers. A Facebook campaign produced around 110 experienced teachers signed up and expressing interest in just 9 days. An open evening was held, attended by a high calibre range of applicants with more events planned for the future.
Croydon Headteachers Association (CHTA)
Croydon Headteachers Association (CHTA) has been working closely on teacher recruitment initiatives to raise Croydon’s profile as a destination of choice. The Association hosted its third annual teacher recruitment fair in February. Around 48 schools, teacher training providers and trade union representatives attended, making it an ideal opportunity to hear about Croydon school vacancies and ways into teaching. The response was fantastic with 190 attendees consisting of NQTs, overseas trained teachers, teaching assistants and headteachers.
Herts for Learning
In consultation with headteachers, Herts for Learning developed a new and extended format for the Teach in Herts Teacher Recruitment Fairs, creating more localised events around Hertfordshire. Schools offered themselves as venues in different parts of the county. Two distinct events were developed this year; a new ‘Get into Teaching Event’ kicked off the academic year in November and January, and this was followed by three focused recruitment events in February, March and May targeting NQTs and experienced teachers looking for jobs but continuing to attract individuals into teaching.
2018 Winner
St Peter's School, Cambridgeshire
Three years ago, St Peter’s School relied heavily upon agency staff to fill vacancies, but a comprehensive recruitment schedule which begins in December of each year includes attendance at recruitment events, hosting Teach in Cambridgeshire events and several training programmes. Trainee testimonials state that they have been ‘positively influenced by their professional development and experiences during their time at St Peter’s School.
Commended
Herts for Learning
Hertfordshire North Yorkshire County Council
Bradford MDC / Northern Lights
Neale-Wade Academy, Cambridgeshire
2017 Winner
The Weald School
Headteacher Peter Woodman continually revises his staffing plans throughout the year, meeting with the senior leadership team four times a week to discuss staffing. Together, they react quickly to staff turnover and to the school’s success in recruiting teachers, so an effective staffing structure is always in place.
Commended
North Yorkshire County Council
Teach in Herts - Herts for Learning
Newham Partnership Working
Bridge Multi-Academy Trust
Eden Academy
2016 Winner Herts for Learning - Recruitment Fair
Held at Hertfordshire Development Centre, the second annual Teach in Herts Teacher Recruitment Fair was a huge success, with hundreds of experienced, newly qualified and returning teachers in attendance. A total of 302 Hertfordshire schools were represented by Teaching School Alliances. 79 schools had exhibition stands on the day, with the event featuring numerous CPD workshops on topics including returning to teaching, teaching in the UK for overseas qualified teachers and changing from a teaching assistant to teacher. Advice surgeries were made available for attendees with specific circumstances. The recruitment fair proved to be an excellent method to showcase the strengths of teaching in the county. One high school identified 31 potential teachers, which will all be invited to visit the school.
Commended
Bradford Birth to 19 Teaching School Alliance
Hillside High School/Liverpool Echo
2015 Winner
Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School , West Midlands
Elmfield Rudolf Steiner is the second oldest of the UK’s 38 Steiner-Waldorf Schools and educates children from the age of three up to GCSE level. It has faced many problems, primarily concerning recruitment - three new Steiner academies created between 2012 and 2014 instantly doubled the demand for qualified Waldorf teachers, 35 per cent of whom are expected to retire by 2020. Consequently, experienced mainstream teachers who join Elmfield have to ‘unlearn’ many teaching habits and often struggle with experiential learning aspect of its teaching.
To solve this issue, Elmfield Rudolf Steiner established a trainee teacher scheme to find potential candidates before they qualified as teachers. Assessing them over two days, the school selects the best and sponsors them to undergo the two years of Waldorf teacher training. The school has also set up a partnership with the West of England Steiner Teacher Training (WESTT) teacher training course, and advertises across Europe, using social media, the local community, open events, and giving talks at universities across the region. The school emails PGCE students, and creates a database of potential candidates. Advertising campaigns direct people to the Elmfield website where a brochure details different ways to inspire young people. Last year, over 100 people applied, 12 were shortlisted and after two days of assessments, which included working interviews, competency-based interviews and teaching tests, three candidates were selected to train up. Additionally, the school has aimed to improve its brand as an employer via online videos and a YouTube Channel, with classroom footage and staff profiles.
Elmfield Rudolf Steiner has also organised a national residential education conference, focussing on creativity and experiential learning. This helped the school spread best practice but also helped it network with potential candidates and put it on the map as an employer. Elmfield overhauled its induction and new class teachers now receive paid mentoring from experienced teachers.
The project has been extremely cost effective. Staff turnover and teacher recruitment spend have both more than halved.
Commended
Educate Norfolk
SGOSS - Governors for Schools/University of Manchester
