Why More Schools Are Using Recruitment Videos to Attract Great Staff
Recruitment has become one of the biggest challenges facing schools across the country.
Many schools are finding that attracting high-quality applicants is becoming increasingly difficult, particularly for leadership roles, specialist subjects and hard-to-fill vacancies. Competition between schools is high, and candidates are often researching potential employers long before they decide whether to submit an application.
Traditionally, schools have relied on job descriptions, person specifications and application packs to communicate opportunities. While these documents remain important, they often struggle to answer one of the key questions every applicant is asking:
"What is it actually like to work there?"
This is where recruitment videos are beginning to play an increasingly important role.
Applicants Are Looking Beyond the Job Description
When teachers consider a new role, salary and responsibilities are only part of the decision-making process.
Many applicants also want to understand:
the culture of the school
the quality of leadership
relationships between staff
opportunities for professional development
staff wellbeing and support
the wider school environment
These are often the factors that determine whether someone chooses to apply or continues scrolling to the next vacancy.
A written advert can explain a role. A recruitment video can help applicants understand the people and culture behind it.
Authentic Voices Build Trust
One of the most effective recruitment videos is often the simplest.
Rather than relying on scripted marketing messages, many schools are choosing to feature current staff sharing their genuine experiences of working within the school.
Teachers, teaching assistants, middle leaders and support staff can provide authentic insight into:
why they joined the school
what they enjoy about working there
the support they receive
opportunities for development
what makes the school unique
These authentic voices help prospective applicants connect with the school in a way that written recruitment materials rarely achieve.
Showcasing School Culture
School culture is one of the hardest things to communicate through a recruitment advert.
Prospective staff want to understand:
how colleagues work together
relationships with pupils
the learning environment
staff morale
the atmosphere within the school
Professional recruitment videos allow schools to showcase these elements naturally through classroom footage, staff interactions, enrichment activities and everyday school life.
The result is a much richer picture of the organisation than any written document can provide alone.
Supporting Recruitment Platforms Such as MyNewTerm
Increasingly, schools are advertising vacancies through platforms such as MyNewTerm, helping vacancies reach a wider audience of potential applicants.
However, when candidates are comparing multiple opportunities, schools still need ways to stand out.
A recruitment video can be embedded within:
school websites
MyNewTerm listings
trust websites
social media channels
recruitment campaigns
This allows applicants to gain a genuine feel for the school before deciding whether to apply.
Recruitment Is Marketing
Many school leaders are understandably uncomfortable with the idea of "marketing" their school.
However, recruitment is ultimately about communication.
Schools are competing for talented teachers and support staff. The schools that communicate their values, culture and opportunities most effectively are often the schools that attract the strongest applicants.
A recruitment video is not about creating a polished advertisement. It is about helping prospective staff understand why people enjoy working at the school and why they should consider becoming part of the team.
A New Approach to Recruitment
Having spent nearly two decades working in education, including as a headteacher, I understand that recruitment challenges are rarely solved by simply placing another advert.
Applicants want to hear from real people. They want to see authentic classrooms, supportive leadership and positive working relationships.
Recruitment videos provide an opportunity for schools to tell that story in a way that feels genuine, engaging and informative.
As schools continue to face recruitment challenges, it is no surprise that more are beginning to use video alongside traditional recruitment methods to attract the very best people to their teams.
