'USE YOUR HEAD. TEACH.' MESSAGE TO UNFULFILLED GRADUATES

2 Sep 2003 10:15 AM

Avoid tedium to join a profession which is enjoyable and stimulating from day one - that's the call from the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) as it launches a major recruitment campaign aimed at graduates dissatisfied with their existing jobs and at university students.

Building on the success of 'Those who can, teach', the new campaign points to the immediate rewards that teaching offers; its creativity, challenges and the opportunity to connect with young people. 'Those who can, teach' attracted more than 100,000 people into teacher training in England in three years.

The new campaign will contrast the enjoyment of teaching with the day-to-day routine endured by thousands of well-qualified people who are under-using their skills and knowledge in the workplace. A 40 second broadcast commercial, run on Channels 4 and 5 and some satellite TV stations, shows headless figures in suits going about their daily work to the tune of 'Heigh-Ho' (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). The mystery is resolved with the appearance of a teacher using his head and engaging with students in a classroom.

The television and cinema commercial will be supported by advertising in newspapers, magazines and poster sites including the London Underground. A new website and other marketing initiatives will show teaching as a career option offering improved pay and real opportunities for progression. The integrated marketing campaign will cost around £12 million in its first year.

Ralph Tabberer, Chief Executive of the TTA said,

"Recruitment to teacher training is at a record high but we must continue to attract talented and committed people into the profession. Schools are still hungry for teachers of mathematics, science and modern languages in particular.

"This exciting and innovative campaign represents a significant change of direction. Its aim is to target more graduates in their twenties and thirties who we know are working in jobs they regard as soulless and who have not yet considered teaching as a career option.

"Recent Ofsted reports show that schools now have the best newly qualified teachers ever. With comprehensive training and more effective support in schools, teachers can look forward to a stimulating and challenging career which is difficult to match."

David Miliband, School Standards Minister said:

"Teaching will shape the future of the country and there has never been a better time to be a teacher. By providing more support, we are ensuring that teachers have the time and space to do what they do best - teach. There are now 25,000 more teachers in schools since 1997 and over 80,000 more support staff. With better pay and support, teaching has become an attractive career option."

Notes for editors

- 'Those who can, teach' was launched in 2000 and resulted in 320,000 enquiries to the Teacher Information Line in its first year.

- 'Use your head. Teach' is the result of more than nine months' research in consultation with a wide range of focus groups.

- The television and cinema advertisement was produced by McCann Erickson, Manchester.

- A Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) can expect to start on a scale that ranges from £18,105 to £26,460 (£21,522 to £30,000 in inner London). The pay scale for good, experienced classroom teachers rises to £39,093 in inner London and £33,150 outside London.

- Eligible trainees on postgraduate Initial Teacher Training courses in England are entitled to a tax-free training bursary worth £6,000. Tuition fees for "home" or European students are paid by the Government. NQTs with a PGCE in a priority subject
(mathematics, science, modern languages, English, design and technology, and Information and Communications Technology) also may be eligible for a "golden hello" payment worth £4,000 after successfully completing their induction period.

- The Teacher Training Agency was created in 1994 to raise standards in schools by attracting able and committed people into teaching and improving the quality of teacher training and induction.

General TTA enquiries: 0870 496 0123
People interested in becoming a teacher should visit the TTA recruitment website, www.useyourheadteach.gov.uk, or contact the Teaching Information Line (tel: 0845 6000 991 - 992 for Welsh speakers).