Australian teachers fill UK gap

Posts filled: The recruits are a short-term solution

Teachers from Australia are due to arrive in Croydon next week following an emergency recruitment drive.

A total of 23 teachers from Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide will be formally welcomed by the local mayor next Thursday.

They will then take up positions in primary and secondary schools in the local education authority when the new term starts on 4 September.

They were recruited last month under Operation Kangaroo, when head teachers from the London Education Authority (LEA) travelled to Australia to find teachers to fill vacant posts.

The high cost of living in Croydon, coupled with a national teacher shortage, has made it extremely difficult for the area's schools to attract the staff they need.

But the posts have been filled after four head teachers interviewed between about 90 and 100 teachers in Australia.

Minimum stay

As well as the 23 teachers starting work next month, about 15 more will fly over for the start of the new January term.

The operation was organised by the LEA together with the specialist teacher recruitment agency TimePlan, which footed the bill for the recruitment drive.

For the first two terms, schools will pay for the teachers on a supply basis. After that, they are free to employ the teachers on their own pay scales.

The teachers have all signed contracts to stay for a minimum of three terms.

Wider interest

The council is viewing the measure as essentially a short-term solution to its teacher recruitment problem.

It hopes that government efforts to attract more teachers into the profession will lead to a long-term answer.

Councillor Louisa Woodley, chairman of Croydon's education committee, said the council was delighted to be welcoming the first group of teachers from Australia.

"The recruitment programme has been extremely successful and has meant that our pupils will receive a good quality education from qualified and experienced teachers from the start of the autumn term," she said.

A spokeswoman for TimePlan said a number of teachers interviewed under Operation Kangeroo had requested to work in other parts of England - Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Birmingham and Yorkshire - and might come over to take up jobs in these areas.

She added that at least six other London boroughs were considering holding similar recruitment drives in New Zealand, South Africa and Canada, as well as Australia.

She could not name the boroughs or give further details, as no arrangements had been finalised.