Schools remain inadequately staffed despite fall in teacher vacancies

This year’s annual report on Teacher Recruitment and Retention by Teacher Tapp and SchoolDash shows that secondary school job advertisements have fallen to their lowest level in almost a decade, down 32% compared to last year, and 46% below pre-pandemic levels.

This sharp decline reflects a combination of factors. Schools are anticipating falling pupil numbers, particularly as smaller Year 7 cohorts joining secondary school replace larger Year 11 groups who are leaving. At the same time, a weaker wider UK labour market appears to be reducing teacher turnover, meaning fewer vacancies need to be filled.

Taking the job advert and headteacher turnover together, the research shows that secondary school staff turnover and recruitment are currently at very low levels, albeit with some differences by subject, school type and region.

However fewer vacancies does not mean schools are better staffed. Around 21% of primary teachers report that their school is inadequately staffed with suitably qualified teachers, while reliance on non-teachers and temporary staff continues to grow. Schools are often absorbing staffing pressures internally, with budget constraints limiting their ability to recruit. This matters particularly in shortage subjects, where access to specialist teachers remains a longstanding challenge. In subjects such as physics, lower vacancy levels do not necessarily mean shortages have been resolved. In some cases, it may mean schools are no longer attempting to recruit specialists they know they are unlikely to attract.

“The findings from this report show that teacher supply is about more than numbers alone. The key test is whether all young people have access to high-quality, subject-specific teaching, especially in shortage subjects such as physics, where securing enough specialist teachers remains a challenge.” Jenni French, Head of STEM in Schools at Gatsby Charitable Foundation

Survey findings also show that teachers have not become less likely to consider changing jobs. Only 61% expect to remain in the profession over the next three years, well below pre-pandemic levels, suggesting a risk of higher turnover if wider labour market conditions improve.

Overall, the findings point to a teacher labour market that is contracting and becoming less dynamic, with important implications for recruitment, retention and the quality of education.

Gatsby supports evidence-based reforms to increase STEM teacher supply, and our work includes commissioning research, publishing evidence-based reports, and working in partnership with government, schools, and teacher training providers to build a stronger specialist teaching workforce.

Download the full report here.

Read Timo Hannay’s in-depth analysis of the data, showing trends in recruitment and retention over time.