How many unqualified teachers

Summary

The request sought details on the number, subjects, and roles of unqualified teachers in Isle of Man secondary schools for the 2016/17 academic year. The Department of Education disclosed that eight staff members were employed as unqualified teachers in training roles across four schools, with specific details provided on their teaching responsibilities and the absence of advertised posts at the time.

Key Facts

• Eight unqualified teachers were employed across four secondary schools while undertaking initial teacher training.
• Ballakermeen High School had two unqualified staff members working in support roles for SEBD students and Performing Arts.
• Castle Rushen High School employed four trainees teaching subjects including English, Drama, Music, Science, and DT.
• The unqualified teacher at Queen Elizabeth II High School had actually achieved QTLS status in April 2016.
• No unqualified teachers outside of training agreements had full responsibility for planning and delivering lessons.

Data Disclosed

• 8
• 2016/17
• April 2016
• 2017-07-18
• 2017-08-03
• IM95637I
• 2
• 4
• 1
• 14 years

Original Request

How many unqualified teacher

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

3rd August 2017

Re: Freedom of Information Request – Reference Number IM95637I

Your Request:-

At the July siting of Tynwald the Hon. Member for Onchan (Ms Edge) posed a question (Q9 on the Tynwald Question Paper) to the Minister for Education and Children viz: “How many unqualified teachers are employed by his Department in each school; and how many Full Time Equivalent teaching posts in schools are occupied by unqualified teachers?” The Minister’s response was:

“Thank you Mr President. In order to address ongoing recruitment issues particularly in shortage subjects staff are occasionally employed as unqualified teachers while they undertake initial teacher training in Manx schools. Such posts are advertised locally if a school is unable to appoint a qualified teacher and has the capacity within their own team to support, develop and assess staff teaching. According to our most recent HR records there are eight members of staff following these training routes in schools and employed as unqualified teachers. Two at Ballakermeen, four work at Castle Rushen, one works at Queen Elizabeth II, one works at St. Ninian’s. No full time equivalent teaching post would be able to be occupied by an unqualified teacher as these posts are used only for training”.

Further to the Minister’s reply and the Ms. Edge’s supplementary question (querying figures) please provide information on the following as regards each Secondary School highlighted in the Minister’s answer:

What subjects have these unqualified teachers been teaching and what year groups have received lessons from them?

Confirm if any of these unqualified teachers have been teaching pupils who have sat GCSE/IGCSE/AS or A level examinations; and

Confirm if any unqualified teachers outside of the training agreement are employed in schools and have responsibility for planning and delivering lessons.

How many full time equivalent teaching posts at each of the schools highlighted above are currently advertised (as of the time of receipt of this FOIA application) and where are they advertised?

The information requested is in relation to the current academic year (2016/17).

Department of Education and Children

Rheynn Ynsee as Paitchyn

Department Response:-

In response to your question regarding what subjects unqualified teachers have been teaching, the scope of teaching, lesson planning and posts under advertisement I can advise the following:

Ballakermeen High School

One member of staff works exclusively with SEBD (social, emotional, behavioural difficulty) students and only teaches small groups. They are not expected to prepare and plan lessons, as a mainstream teacher would do as part of the normal responsibilities. They do not teach any GCSE courses to these students, who are mainly those who are excluded from mainstream education. The may be asked to deliver aspects of a GCSE course, with the work supplied by the specialist teacher.

One member of staff is attached to the Performing Arts Faculty and most of their work is in support of teachers and their classes. They are not responsible for the planning of any lessons. They may occasionally sit with a GCSE or A Level class, but this is while the teacher is working one to one with someone else, usually for a few minutes of their time.

These two members of staff will remain on the unqualified teachers pay scale and will continue in support roles as detailed above.

Ballakermeen High School did not have any posts advertised at the date of the request.
By way of assistance you will be able to find details of current teacher vacancies on the Isle of Man Government website at https://www.jobtrain.co.uk/iomgovjobs/default.aspx.

Castle Rushen High School

All 4 trainees are Manx resident graduates. They have all been employed following unsuccessful attempts to recruit suitably qualified teachers. Subjects taught were English (KS3/4), Drama (Key Stage 3), Music (KS3-5), Creative Writing (KS5), RE (KS3), Live Skills (KS4), Science (KS3 – 5), DT (KS3 – 5).

These unqualified teachers have taught GCSE/A Level classes as above, however KS5 teaching has generally been undertaken by graduate trainees in their final year of the UCM Cert Ed course. This course requires trainee teachers to undertake lessons with students of 14 years or over, as they have to teach some KS4/5 to meet the criteria.

No unqualified teachers outside of the training agreement are employed by Castle Rushen High School and have responsibility for planning and delivering lessons.

No full time equivalent teaching posts were advertised for Castle Rushen High School at the date of your request. By way of assistance you will be able to find details of current teacher vacancies on the Isle of Man Government website at https://www.jobtrain.co.uk/iomgovjobs/default.aspx.

Queen Elizabeth II High School

There are currently no unqualified teachers at Queen Elizabeth II High School who have responsibility for planning and delivering lessons – for information, the teacher referred to in the Minister’s reply was in fact awarded their QTLS status in April 2016.

No full time equivalent teaching posts were advertised for Queen Elizabeth II High School at the date of your request. By way of assistance you will be able to find details of current teacher vacancies on the Isle of Man Government website at https://www.jobtrain.co.uk/iomgovjobs/default.aspx.

St Ninian’s High School

As of the 25 July 2017, 1 full-time equivalent teaching post was being advertised for St Ninian’s High School. This was advertised on the Isle of Man Government JobTrain website and at the Job Centre. By way of assistance you will be able to find details of current teacher vacancies on the Isle of Man Government website at https://www.jobtrain.co.uk/iomgovjobs/default.aspx.

One member of staff works in the school as a student/classroom support teacher. They support the learning of students in Years 8 and 9. Working under the guidance of the Learning Support teacher, they have been supporting and delivering to small groups from Learning Support/Progress Zone, working in the following subjects: Art, English and Music.

No unqualified teachers are employed by St Ninian’s High School outside the training agreement and have responsibility for planning and delivering lessons. Responsibility for planning and delivering of lessons remains with the Learning Support Teacher however due to their knowledge and experience of working with small specialised groups within the Progress Zone the student/classroom support teacher takes an active role in contributing towards planning and delivery of lesson contents.

The information provided within this response letter will also be published on the Government website in due course should you wish to revisit the information.

If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a Review/Complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to:
Mr Andrew Shipley, Legal and Administration Manager, Hamilton House, Peel Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 5EZ.

An electronic version of our Review/Complaint form can be found by going to https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information/

Your Review/Complaint request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been conducted.

Appeal Process

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on;

1

Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act; or 2

Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.

In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.

More detailed information on your rights to review is on the Information Commissioner’s website at https://www.inforights.im/contact-us/

Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi