A fresh recruitment drive for teachers has been launched in Moray in order to drive down the amount of vacancies in the region.
The local authority has previously credited a “positive message” for the amount of empty posts dropping to 28 at the end of the summer holidays – the lowest amount for the last three years.
Now a video has been launched by the council to continue the downward trend by highlighting “amazing sunsets”, connections from Inverness Airport and career progression.
Last night, the move was backed as way to broaden Moray’s appeal.
Lindsey Stanley, business support team manager for the council’s education and social care department, said: “There are a number of teachers who wish to relocate to Moray but don’t know much about the area – they see the advert and apply but don’t realise the benefits until they get here.
“What happens with a lot of our teachers is once we get them here they don’t want to leave, which relates to our NQTs (newly qualified teachers) as well.”
The council’s recruitment drive has stepped up in recent weeks with the advertisement of head teacher posts at Elgin Academy and Rothes Primary School as well as a depute head teacher position at Applegrove Primary School.
The current initiative has been backed with a call to qualified staff who have retired within the last six months to consider becoming a supply teacher.
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Sean Duffy, depute head teacher at Buckie High School, believes that Moray has opportunities that will make it more attractive for candidates.
He said: “There are a wide range of opportunities for people thinking about career advancement because the principal teacher due to principal teachers for subjects still being in place.
“The ethos in the classroom also allows a real focus on learning experiences for those wanting to remain a classroom teacher.
“I think my career has progressed a lot more quickly than it would have done if I had remained elsewhere.”
Sonya Warren, chairwoman of the council’s children and young people’s committee, added: “I think the video has done a fabulous job at showing the range of opportunities in Moray – it’s not just small schools or large schools, there’s both and some of them are newly built too.”
