Campaign aims to fill RE teacher jobs amid huge rise in vacancies for school staff

WITH Easter being a time of renewal, a new campaign hopes to resurrect interest in an apt job role for this time of year – RE teachers.

Figures from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation show a big rise in vacancies for teaching staff in many subjects, with almost 40,000 spots.

Among the most-needed are religious education teachers, of whom there are now more than a thousand fewer than there were ten years ago.

And despite RE being identified as a “shortage subject”, the Department for Education cut the recruitment target from 643 in 2018/19 to 450 in 2022/23.

At the same time, university applications to train as an RE teacher have dropped by a third.

Now teaching groups, religious organisations and MPs have formed Beyond The Ordinary, to promote the need for RE to prepare young people for life in modern Britain.

The organisation is aiming to attract graduates to fill the vacancies.

Group member Lord Bilimoria said: “As a champion for RE, I’ve heard numerous times from students that this is one of the few times in the classroom where they get to say what they think about the world around them.”

Kathryn Wright, of Culham St Gabriel’s Trust, which is supporting the campaign, said they want graduates who “can deliver an academic and rigorous curriculum aimed at getting young people to think critically about their own beliefs and those of others”.

Catherine Spencer, 43, from Kent captained England at the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup but chose to retrain as an RE teacher after retiring from the sport.

She said: “People often ask me if you have to be religious to teach RE.

“Absolutely not! What you do need to have is an interest in the big questions in life. Everyone has a world view — their way of seeing, understanding and thinking about the world — and getting the chance to help young people develop this just feels like such a huge honour.”

There are 192 RE teacher vacancies across the UK. Find out more at bit.ly/40FlQvV.

HUNT FOR UNICORN WINNERS

HIS company has achieved Unicorn status – a billion-dollar fast-growth company – now BrewDog boss James Watt is searching for the next one.

The Scots beer mogul will invest £5million of his own money in three firms and will offer the public a chance to go in alongside him.

The competition winners will get a day with James to test their adaptability, including pulling pints at the firm’s Camden bar in central London.

James said: “Building and growing businesses is a real passion point for me, and I have learnt so much on my journey getting BrewDog to Unicorn status.

“Given the current economic climate, it’s never been more important to support companies.

“And I can’t wait to share my experience with some of the brightest business minds across Europe.”

• Enter The Next Unicorn competition by April 14 at crowdcube.com/nextunicorn.

SPRING CLEAN YOUR CV

LOOKING for a sparkling new career? Use the Easter week-end to buff up your CV.

Careers expert Amanda Augustine, from TopCV, says: “It’s best to dust off your CV a few times a year to ensure you’re always ready for new opportunities.”

Here are her top tips . . . 

• Create a regular routine: Like cleaning your home, updating your CV can feel overwhelming if you don’t do it regularly. Tweak it at least twice a year, even if you don’t have immediate plans to use it.
• Polish your CV’s format: Use a clean layout with enough white space and clear headings, allowing readers to skim easily. Avoid using elaborate designs, and more than two font colours or types.
• Tailor your information: Consider the type of role you’d like to pursue, gather a few job ads that reflect it then use their descriptions to edit your CV.
• Make it ATS friendly: Applicant Tracking Systems are used by most big firms to streamline recruitment. Ensure you add in the terms and phrases that appear in the job ads you are applying for.
• Trim the page length: Recruiters spend less than ten seconds reviewing a CV. Aim for two pages.
• Delete what you don’t need: Finished editing? Print it out and check for typos. Cut personal details such as marital status, date of birth, national insurance and passport numbers, and nationality. Not needed.