Roger,
I think the specific problem for Economics is:
Rapid decline in popularity of Economics as opposed to Business Studies in
most schools (I know your school is an honourable exception)
This knocks on several years later to decline in numbers specialising in
Economics at PGCE
This in turn leads to lack of availability of Economics teachers forcing
more schools to drop Economics in favour of Business.
Adrian Lyons
-----Original Message-----
From: r.loxley [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 01 May 2002 08:16
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Shortage of business and economics teachers
<< File: ATT00009.html >> I wrote on this topic earlier this year. For
some reason there seems to be a paucity of candidates for jobs and yet
there are still jobs in the TES. I do feel that some research needs to be
carried out into this phenomenon, sooner rather than later.
Our recent vacancy, which arose due to the need to recruit an extra person
to the department due to expanding numbers of Economics students, attracted
one application. I even approached the main PGCE centres for Economics and
yet none of their students applied (it was March and many may have had jobs
already). Certainly it is a siuation that we are very familiar with here
in the NE. Each Economics job attracts maybe two to six applicants, most
of whom are not even interviewable. We have been lucky in that each time
we have had a vacancy the one candidate interviewed has been eminently
appointable.
Nevertheless it raises questions about the mobility of good Economics
teachers. Do the big southern schools have the same problems or are they
swamped with applicants? Is it a north/south thing? (your experience
suggests not). Are all the Economics PGCE students finding jobs before
October? Where are all the vacancies coming from? Economics is expanding
in those schools where it is taught well but who's doing the teaching?
Answers on a postcard please .....
Roger Loxley
Head of Economics
Royal Grammar School
Newcastle
----- Original Message -----
From: CJ or SI Turner
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 12:00 AM
Subject: Shortage of business and economics teachers
Can the situation have got so bad? I knew anecdotally that it was hard
to replace staff, but our recent advert in the Times Ed for a Head of
Business Studies (in Hertfordshire) has resulted in no applicants at all.
Is this typical, or are we doing something wrong?
Sue Turner
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