After almost two years of searching and temporary solutions, Ollaberry Primary School in Shetland can finally welcome a new head teacher.
But the search wasn’t easy, as the timing suggests. Shetland Islands Council tried multiple postings to advertise the headship at the 22-pupil island school.
Ollaberry’s saga came to a close in late October, when the council hired Jean Harlow. A former head teacher on Out Skerries, she is eager to return and speaks highly of island culture and education.
But for two other island schools – including the remote, three-pupil Fair Isle Primary School and Cunningsburgh Primary School – it’s still early stages in their respective searches.
And employers are hoping to avoid a long search like Ollaberry’s.
‘A lovely place to live and work’
When Jean Harlow takes up her post in Shetland as Ollaberry’s new head teacher next week, it will be the first time the school has had a permanent leader since last February.
Ms Harlow said that she found out about the post from the MyJobScotland website. Her previous experience as a head teacher on Out Skerries gave her a taste of island life.
“On Out Skerries I felt I was supported really well by the island community. The school staff and the larger schools based in Lerwick readily shared resources and hosted visiting school pupils in their classes.
“So I felt Shetland was a lovely place to live and work and wanted to return more permanently.”
Helen Budge, Shetland’s director of children’s services, was full of praise for Urafirth head teacher Wendy Fraser, who served as a dual headteacher for Urafirth and Ollaberry to start this year.
Mrs Budge said that, despite the long wait, she couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome.
“To have head teachers in the community is really what we’re looking for.”
“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to recruit an experienced headteacher, but also that the interim arrangements worked really successfully.”
“A huge thanks to Wendy Fraser for undertaking the shared role, because it was a really positive experience for everybody involved.”
Happy ending for Ollaberry, still work to do
Earlier this summer, we reported on Ollaberry’s long search as an example of the difficulties of hiring teachers in island communities. Local authorities across the north and north east banded together in 2015, lobbying Holyrood to establish a task force to tackle the teaching recruitment crisis in the region.
According to Teach in Scotland, 38% of Scotland’s schools are classified as rural, meaning they have less than 3,000 people in their catchment area.
Many of these schools are in the north and north east.
In order to address staffing shortages, probationer teachers often end up in rural schools. Mrs Budge has said that it is part of her challenge to convince young teachers not to just treat an island placement as a short-term adventure.
Opportunities for the willing and able
Rural schools offer the benefits of community and opportunities to teach and to lead, she said.
Helen Lumsden, who retired last year after 37 years at Westray Junior High School, exemplifies what can happen when a young teacher gives island life a chance. Sometimes, you get hooked.
“I arrived in Westray to take up the job of class teacher in Primary 6 and 7 at what was then Pierowall Junior High School. At that time teachers had to serve a two-year probation period, and I initially thought I would probably look for a job south at the end of that time.
“However, I quickly realised what a special place Westray is and I am now retiring from the job, 37 years later!”
During her career, Ms Lumsden was a classroom teacher senior teacher and principal teacher for the primary school, showing just how many doors can open up to someone in a smaller school setting.
Ms Harlow shares Ms Lumsden’s call to island life, but she also understands why job postings like Ollaberry’s might go unnoticed. Remoteness and isolation can be daunting, but she said that it’s difficult to get a sense of the place without giving it a chance.
She encouraged anyone who is qualified to take open positions in Shetland and other rural areas seriously.
“I have found that there are usually strong communities in more remote places and now internet communication networks are improving all the time giving greater opportunities for networking.”
Shetland head teacher search: One down, two to go
Although Mrs Budge and her office can cheer a happy ending for Ollaberry, there are still posts to fill. Fair Isle Primary School, the most remote in Britain, has a vacancy for a new head teacher.
The council renewed the posting a few weeks ago, and held interviews in the last week of October. Although they have had applicants, most so far do not have the correct General Teaching Council for Scotland qualifications.
On previous postings, the council has shared promotional videos highlighting a day in the life of a rural head teacher.
Meanwhile, Shetland Islands Council has another listing for a head teacher at Cunningsburgh Primary. The job offers £58,665 per year, with a distant islands allowance of £2,265 per annum.
There is a relocation package, and the council will pay interview expenses for UK candidates.
The council is also hiring for support and staff positions. You can see a full list of opportunities online.
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