The UK education sector is facing a significant recruitment and retention crisis across all settings, caused by a number of factors.

The current challenges include a shortage of qualified teachers, high turnover rates and longstanding unfilled jobs that mean that recruitment, once something that happened periodically, is now a year round task, placing a disproportionately higher administrative burden on those school leaders who lack the support of a central team.

This whitepaper outlines the scope and critical need for a specialised Applicant Tracking System (ATS) designed to support individual state-maintained schools and small to medium scale multi-academy trusts in managing their recruitment processes more effectively and efficiently.

By leveraging an ATS, these organisations can streamline their hiring processes, reduce administrative burdens, and improve the quality of their hires, ultimately contributing to better educational outcomes.

Currently though, most education specific ATS systems operate at the enterprise level and are too complex/not appropriate for smaller scale education institutions.

The UK education sector is currently grappling with a severe recruitment and retention crisis. According to recent reports by the Education Policy Institute and Teacher Tapp, several factors contribute to this ongoing challenge, including an increasing number of teacher vacancies, declining retention rates, and a significant administrative burden on school leaders. In state-maintained schools, where resources are particularly constrained, these challenges are even more pronounced. Headteachers or a single senior leader often manage the entire recruitment process manually, which can be both time-consuming and inefficient. As a result, school leaders are forced to dedicate a considerable amount of their time to recruitment, detracting from their ability to focus on strategic educational leadership and school improvement.

Implementing an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) designed specifically for state-maintained schools and decentralised Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) offers a promising solution to these challenges. An ATS can automate many of the repetitive tasks involved in recruitment, from job postings and candidate screenings to interview scheduling and communications. This automation not only reduces the administrative workload but also allows school leaders to focus on strategic decision-making and improving educational outcomes.

ATS software has already proven its value across various industries by significantly enhancing recruitment efficiency and effectiveness. For example, recent data shows that an effective ATS can reduce the average hiring cycle by up to 60%, allowing organisations to secure top talent more quickly and efficiently​(SelectHRandRecruitReviews). Moreover, 94% of recruiters agree that ATS software has positively impacted their hiring processes by streamlining workflows and reducing time-to-hire​(SelectHRandRecruitReviews). These systems also help improve the quality of hires by filtering candidates more effectively, with 79% of recruiters reporting higher quality new hires after implementing an ATS​(HiringThing Blog).

In the education sector, where the stakes of hiring are incredibly high, similar benefits could be realised. A specialised ATS tailored to the needs of standalone schools and decentralised MATs could help streamline recruitment processes, enhance candidate experience, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, all while reducing costs and administrative burdens. By adopting such a system, schools could more effectively address the current recruitment crisis, improve teacher retention rates, and ultimately create a more stable and high-quality educational environment for students.

Given the increasing complexity and demands of recruitment in education, the need for a streamlined, efficient, and user-friendly ATS solution is more critical than ever. The adoption of a specialised ATS for state-maintained schools represents not just an operational improvement but a strategic investment in the future of education in the UK.

Recent data underscores the severity of recruitment challenges faced by state-maintained schools:

Recruitment Challenges: Secondary schools are experiencing significant difficulties in recruiting an adequate number of teachers. The number of job advertisements has increased by 12% compared to last year, and a record-breaking 13% of secondary teachers report currently unfilled vacancies within their subject departments​, while 13% of primary school roles remain unfilled year on year.

Retention Issues: Teacher retention rates are declining across all levels of experience, with only 59% of teachers remaining in the profession ten years after qualification, down from over 65% a decade ago​. Early-career teachers are particularly vulnerable, with retention rates falling, though still above the record low of 2017.

Increasing Workload for Headteachers: Headteachers in standalone schools and decentralized Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) are facing unprecedented levels of workload, primarily due to the lack of centralized support for managing recruitment and administrative tasks. Unlike their counterparts in centralized MATs, who benefit from dedicated teams to handle recruitment, headteachers in smaller or standalone schools often bear the full responsibility for managing the entire recruitment process. This includes posting job ads, screening applications, scheduling interviews, and communicating with candidates—tasks that are both time-consuming and repetitive.

The strain of these responsibilities is exacerbated by broader challenges within the education sector. Recent data indicates that 73% of teachers and leaders feel their job does not leave them enough time for personal life, and 84% report that stress and poor wellbeing are significant factors influencing their decision to consider leaving the profession​(GOV.UK). High workload was identified as a primary reason for leaving by 94% of teachers considering exiting the state sector​(GOV.UK). This reflects a dire need for solutions that reduce the administrative burden on school leaders and allow them to focus more on strategic educational leadership and student outcomes.

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) specifically designed for the unique needs of standalone schools and decentralized MATs could significantly alleviate these pressures. By automating many of the repetitive tasks involved in recruitment—such as job postings, applicant tracking, and communication—an ATS can reduce the administrative workload on headteachers. This automation not only streamlines the hiring process but also contributes to a more organized and efficient recruitment strategy, ultimately freeing up valuable time for headteachers to focus on their primary educational responsibilities.

Given the increasing workload pressures and the associated impact on wellbeing and retention, the adoption of an ATS is not just beneficial but urgent. It provides a viable solution to improve operational efficiency and ensure that school leaders can concentrate on providing high-quality education without being overwhelmed by administrative duties.

An ATS can address several key issues faced by state-maintained schools:

Streamlining Recruitment Processes: An ATS can automate routine tasks such as job postings, application screening, and interview scheduling, significantly reducing the administrative burden on headteachers. This automation allows for a more organised and efficient recruitment process, minimising the time required to fill vacancies.

Improving Candidate Experience: A well-designed ATS provides a seamless experience for candidates, from application submission to communication throughout the hiring process. This improved experience can enhance a school’s reputation as an employer of choice, attracting a higher calibre of applicants.

Data-Driven Decision Making: With built-in analytics and reporting features, an ATS enables schools to make data-driven decisions regarding recruitment strategies. Schools can track key metrics such as time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, and applicant source, allowing them to refine their recruitment processes over time.

Enhancing Compliance and Reporting: An ATS can help ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, including data protection laws and equal opportunity mandates. It also facilitates easy reporting to governing bodies and other stakeholders, ensuring transparency and accountability in the recruitment process.

Reducing Costs: By reducing the time and resources required to manage recruitment manually, an ATS can significantly lower the overall cost of hiring. Additionally, by improving the quality of hires and reducing turnover, schools can further reduce costs associated with teacher recruitment and training.

To be effective in the unique context of small educational organisations, an ATS should offer the following features:

User-Friendly Interface: The system should be intuitive and easy to use, even for those with limited technical skills. This is particularly important for schools where headteachers may be the sole users responsible for recruitment.

Multi-Site Job Posting and Application Tracking: Tools for posting jobs across multiple platforms at once and tracking applications streamline the recruitment process and save time. Currently most schools advertise across multiple jobs boards but have no easy way to post to them all at once.

Integrated Communication Tools: Features that allow for automated and personalised communication with candidates can help keep applicants engaged and informed throughout the recruitment process.

Customizable Forms: The ATS should enable school leaders to create their own, bespoke recruitment forms to match their specific processes and policies.

Automated Reference Collection: Reference collection is an essential yet arduous task. It can fall by the wayside and often causes delays in the recruitment and onboarding process, which can lead to job offers falling through. Automation of this process will significantly alleviate the administrative burden associated with recruitment.

EDI Reporting and Analytics: Built-in reporting tools that provide insights into recruitment metrics and trends to help make sure headteachers are able to meet EDI recruitment standards. 

Compliance Management: Features that ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations, including data protection and equal opportunity requirements.

Implementing an ATS in state-maintained schools offers several key benefits:

Increased Efficiency: By automating time-consuming tasks, an ATS allows headteachers to focus on strategic planning and leadership rather than administrative duties.

Better Quality of Hires: An ATS can help schools attract and retain high-quality candidates by providing a more professional and crucially, easier recruitment experience.

Improved Retention Rates: With better recruitment processes, schools are more likely to hire candidates who are a good fit for their culture and needs, leading to improved retention rates.

Cost Savings: Reducing the time and resources required for recruitment can lead to significant cost savings, which can be reinvested into educational programs and resources.

The challenges faced by state-maintained schools in the UK, such as high workloads, inefficient recruitment processes, and declining teacher retention rates, underscore the urgent need for a specialised Applicant Tracking System (ATS). By streamlining recruitment processes, enhancing candidate experiences, enabling data-driven decision-making, and ensuring compliance, an ATS can significantly reduce the administrative burden on headteachers, allowing them to focus on strategic educational leadership.

An ATS is more than just a tool for managing applications; it is a strategic asset that helps schools navigate the complexities of the current educational landscape, attract and retain top talent, and ultimately improve the quality of education provided to students. As recruitment demands continue to grow, adopting a specialized ATS solution tailored for the unique needs of state-maintained schools and decentralized MATs is not just beneficial but imperative.

We encourage school leaders to explore how Teacher Booker’s tailored ATS solutions can transform their recruitment processes, reduce workload pressures, and ultimately improve educational outcomes. Schedule a demo today to see firsthand how our ATS can meet the specific needs of your school.

Teacher Booker is a leading provider of recruitment software solutions for the UK education sector. Our new ATS software is flexible, able to meet the needs of large Multi-Academy trusts or small standalone state maintained schools, providing an intuitive, efficient, and comprehensive solution for managing recruitment processes at all scales. With Teacher Booker’s ATS, schools can focus on what matters most: delivering high-quality education.