Herts for Learning (HfL) has been recognised for the fourth year in a row at this year’s Education Business Awards, held at Leonardo Royal Hotel London St Paul’s, on Thursday 4th July.

HfL received a Commendation Award for its Teach in Herts services in the School Recruitment category, having also received the same award in 2017 and 2018. 

The School Recruitment 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.’

Teach in Herts provides a range of services to support Hertfordshire schools and academies with their recruitment requirements with the overall objective of recruiting high-quality teachers and support staff in Hertfordshire schools and academies.

The HfL Recruitment Services team were thrilled to have been among the four finalists, from across the UK, shortlisted for the award and were pleased that their continuous hard work to improve the teacher recruitment crisis in Hertfordshire has been recognised at a national level. 

Anne Taylor, Head of School Recruitment Services at HfL, said:

“We are dedicated to attracting more potential teachers to the profession and removing any barriers to getting in to teaching. We enjoy the events where people can meet face to face and leave knowing their next steps. We are committed to working with Hertfordshire colleagues to look for innovative solutions to high profile issues such as workload reduction, retention and well-being.  These are ever more important pillars of our work to ensure that schools and academies across Hertfordshire continue to have access to high-quality teachers and are able to achieve the very best for every child in Hertfordshire and beyond.”

 

HfL operates with a not-for-profit ethos, and any profits made are invested in the common good and/or the development of specific new services to address key challenges for shareholding schools.

In 2018 HfL, in consultation with headteachers, 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.  This allowed the team to increase the number of events and provide additional radio and social media marketing to increase interest in Teach in Herts’ Hertfordshire schools over a prolonged period of exposure.

Two distinct events were developed this year; a new ‘Get into Teaching Event’ kicked off the academic year in November and January targeting only those considering teaching as a career.  This was followed by three streamlined and focused ‘Hertfordshire Teacher Recruitment Events’ in February, March and May targeting NQTs and experienced teachers looking for jobs but continuing with attracting individuals into teaching.

Each event contained workshops relevant to target potential attendees and provide them with all the information they need and an opportunity to ask questions.  The workshops were delivered by advisers from the Department for Education, headteachers, early years, primary and secondary advisers from HfL and School Direct primary and secondary trainees.

Over the period, exhibitors have represented hundreds of Hertfordshire schools from all phases from nursery, primary, special, secondary and all through school.

The Universities of Hertfordshire and Cambridge supported the events to provide further training options for candidates alongside the 11 Teaching School Alliances for those looking to get into teaching based in Hertfordshire. The events have seen in excess of 500 attendees experience the workshops and face to face meetings with exhibitors.

Schools are ready to complete tours and interviews in the week following an event and many provide work experience for those looking to get into teaching.

For details of the latest teacher vacancies in Hertfordshire, as well as information on how to get into teaching, please visit the Teach in Herts website www.teachinherts.com