Government urges ex-teachers to return to classrooms to cover COVID staff shortages
The government believes some local areas may "struggle to find sufficient numbers of supply teachers available", unless former staff come forward to help.
Retired and former teachers across the UK are now being urged to return to the classroom in the new year in a bid to help with staff shortages due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.
As the Omicron variant is expected to continue to cause “increased staff absence levels in the spring term”, the Department for Education (DfE) and Education Secretary has issued a plea today asking recently-retired teachers, or those who trained as teachers and changed career, to return to the classroom temporarily “to help protect face-to-face education”.
The government believes some local areas may “struggle to find sufficient numbers of supply teachers available”, unless former staff come forward to help.
The appeal comes as it’s being reported that some schools are already preparing for the possibility of online teaching next term, and even have told pupils to take laptops home in case of disruption after Christmas.
The Education Secretary has urged ex-teachers who are available to return to the classroom, to apply on the Get Into Teaching website.
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In the plea issued by the government, it’s said that it “remains important” that the same comprehensive checks go ahead as they always would for anyone working with children, which is why potential teachers are being encouraged to get the process started as soon as possible.
They should ideally start the process before Christmas Eve to be ready to join the workforce from January.
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We're asking former teachers to temporarily return to the classroom so children can continue to benefit from face-to-face education during the pandemic.
It could be for as little as a day a week next term.
“I am asking any teachers no longer in the profession to come forward if they are available to temporarily fill absences in the new year,” Mr Zahawi said.
“Although 99.9% of schools have consistently been open this term, with cases of Omicron increasing, we must make sure schools and colleges have the teachers available to remain open for face-to-face education.
“Anyone who thinks they can help should get the process started now on the Get Into Teaching website.”
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He also added at the end of his plea that “everyone should get boosted now to help reduce the amount of disruption from the virus in the new year.
I am asking former teachers to come forward to temporarily support school and college workforces in the New Year.
The government says that supply teacher agencies across the country will continue to manage local supply and demand to help make sure schools and colleges do not need to close as a result of lack of staff, and so from today, those eligible can expect to receive targeted communications encouraging them to participate.
The DfE is helping schools, unions, and supply teacher agencies to reach potential teachers through social media and other communication channels.
The government is also working with the teacher training programme provider Teach First for the mission to get former teachers back on board, with the company’s Chief Executive, Russell Hobby, adding: “Given the challenges that schools now face, we want to see what more can be done to help – including how we, and those of our alumni who have trained as teachers but currently work outside the profession, may be able to support schools to remain open safely in the new year.”
Former teachers should approach supply teacher agencies listed on the website, the government says, as they will manage local supply.
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The government believes some local areas may struggle to find “sufficient numbers of supply teachers available”, unless former staff come forward to help / Credit: Flickr
However, the launch of the appeal has not been received too well by some education unions and opposition parties.
Paul Whiteman – General Secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT – said: “Having a greater number of supply teachers to call upon could be helpful, but it will not take away from the very challenging circumstances schools find themselves operating under.
“We need to be very clear that if things get to this stage, it will mean that education will look very different in January and we could be talking about a very different type of provision at the start of next year.
“That has huge implications for things like exams, assessment and inspection.”
While shadow Schools Minister Stephen Morgan added: “This is a sticking plaster, and only part of what’s needed to keep children and staff safely in class next term.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Hidden drug den full of cannabis plants worth £100k exposed by police in Bury
Emily Sergeant
Police in Bury have exposed a drug den worth an estimated £100,000 hidden behind closed doors during early morning warrants.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained, earlier this week (9 December), officers from the Radcliffe and Elton and Church Neighbourhood Teams were joined by Bury’s newest district commander, Chief Superintendent Kirsty Oliver, to conduct a warrant at an address on Mitchell Street.
The warrant was conducted by acting on intelligence that was gathered from members of the public within the community.
Officers the address, where they forced entry and discovered what has been described as a “sophisticated cannabis farm” within the property.
A hidden drug den full of cannabis plants worth £100k has been exposed by police in Bury / Credit: GMP
The set-up was spread across two floors, and according to police, resulted in around 300 plants being seized overall – with half of them being at the beginning of their growth-cycle, and 100 which had been harvested.
All the plants seized have a combined street value of an estimated £100,000, it is believed.
On top of this, a vehicle was also seized after officers found it suspiciously parked outside the premises, and following further inspection, it was discovered to be outstanding as stolen and had false registration plates.
Early morning warrants uncover a hidden drug den worth an estimated £100,000 in #Bury thanks to intelligence from within the community.
Police believe that the warrant could be linked with West Balkan’s Organized Crime Groups, and are investigating additional lines of enquiry.
Chief Superintendent Kirsty Oliver, Bury’s new district commander, thanked the public for their help in yesterday’s warrant.
“We received information sent in by concerned members of the community who wanted to create a safer environment,” Chief Superintendent Oliver explained.
Read more:
“Communities are essential to preventing and solving crime, and I encourage you to continue to report any criminal acts or suspicious behaviour to us and let us know what is happening in your area.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Manchester City’s alleged charges have been increased to 130
Danny Jones
Manchester City’s hearing over their 115 alleged breaches of FFP (financial fair play) has ended and the outcome is that their charges have now been increased to 130.
Not exactly what Blues will want to hear.
The hearing officially concluded last Friday, 6 December after a 12-week process to determine whether they broke Premier League regulations regarding PSR (profit and sustainability), with accusations initially spanning a nine-year period.
However, rather than making any progress when it comes to clearing their record, it looks as though the opposite has happened.
Man City are now alleged to have committed 130 breaches of Premier League rules with both parties still able to enter an official appeal.
The hearing was held at the International Dispute Resolution Centre near St Paul’s in London, kicking off in September before coming to a close on Friday, 6 December.
Fans will no doubt have been hoping for and maybe even expecting a much more positive update, especially after having been successful in their recent case against the division regarding sponsorship deals and Associated Party Transactions (APT).
As well as the number of alleged breaches having risen to 130, the period of offence is also now said to have been extended, jumping from just under a decade to a total of 14 years.
The Times writer Martyn Ziegler says the club could quietly learn of their fate as soon as next month and even though a final decision still isn’t expected until spring 2025, should either side appeal the final outcome, this will likely draw out proceedings for several more months.
Man City’s charges have gone from 115 to 130. (Credit: The Manc Group)
For context, City still deny all of the claims laid against them, which include failing to provide accurate financial information for as many as nine seasons, full details of players’ wages, hiding the true figure former manager Roberto Mancini was paid for her service, as well as failing to cooperate with the Premier League’s investigation and UEFA’s FFP rules.
The club were slapped with a two-year European ban back in 2020 and have been fined by the European footballing body previously, but that ban was ultimately dropped and even their most recent financial punishment was dropped from £30 million to just £10m – chump change given their spending power.
It still remains unclear what exactly will happen to the reigning English champions if they are found guilty but with Pep Guardiola’s also struggling for form of late, having lost five games in a row for the first time in the Catalan’s career, those inside the Etihad could do with some good news.
The blue moon that has loomed over Manchester in recent years is looking a little lost behind the clouds at the minute.
Emily Sergeant -
20th December 2021 
