A TEACHER recruitment crisis has prompted Poole’s education chiefs to take drastic action to address the problem.

Poor quality applicants, low numbers of applications and unsuccessful recruitment attempts have led to the organisation of the area’s first major recruitment fayre.

Career by the Coast aims to attract hundreds more teachers to the area, with offers to look after applicants’ whole career, from training to headship.

And the benefits of living in the Poole area will be outlined with details of housing and even childcare for potential recruits.

A recent survey carried out by Poole Schools Association revealed that half of the teaching jobs in Poole attracted less than five applicants each.

Six out of ten schools could only call three or fewer candidates to interview and a fifth of recruitment attempts resulted in no appointment.

Michelle Stone, head teacher of Broadstone First School, said it has proved difficult to attract teachers and ever harder to retain them.

She said: “Teaching is extremely hard work and, unfortunately, has become very data driven.

“Our purpose is to develop the whole child and people come into this profession because we believe in those kids. Head teachers do their best to keep the bureaucracy away from the teachers so they can get on with the jobs they love.”

She said work is under way to address the recruitment crisis and is proving successful. Teacher training in the area is successful with 95 per cent of trainees getting jobs in the area.

Career by the Coast will be held at Poole High School on April 5 from 5pm. Representatives from schools in the area are invited to join training providers to improve the rates of applications.

The event will include stalls from local schools, a help desk where help will be offered with CVs and application forms, the opportunity to register and refreshments.

Anyone who wishes to attend should email mstone@broadstonefirst.poole.sch.uk with a commitment to attend by March 10. The cost per school will be £25.