UK schools manage their need for qualified teaching staff through direct advertising, education recruitment agencies, and supply pools. Many institutions combine these methods because temporary and permanent teaching vacancies have different recruitment needs.
With fewer applicants responding to job adverts, school leaders often struggle to fill vacancies at short notice. SCE Lamp Exchange works with schools on both sides of that problem, including daily supply and permanent teaching jobs.
This guide explains which teaching roles are hardest to fill, how recruitment agencies can help, and how direct job adverts work. You’ll also learn where teachers look for jobs first.
Why UK Teacher Recruitment Has Become So Hard
Nearly one in five early career teachers leaves England’s state-funded school sector within two years, according to Department for Education workforce figures. Several factors have made teacher recruitment harder across the UK, with some departments facing greater challenges than others.
The three factors below explain where teacher shortages are most common and why they return every summer.
School Staffing: The Subjects Hardest to Fill
Physics, maths, computing and modern foreign languages miss their recruitment targets most years. As a result, secondary schools often struggle to fill vacancies in these subjects. For example, a school advertising for a maths teacher in January may still be trying to fill the same role in March.
Design and technology faces similar recruitment challenges, while SEN roles can be even harder to fill. These roles often require teachers with years of experience supporting pupils with special educational needs.
Primary schools face a different challenge, as even one teacher’s absence can disrupt the entire school day. If you’ve ever covered a Year 4 class yourself at 8:40 am, you’ll know the feeling (so much for a normal morning).
Why Experienced Teachers Leave the Classroom
Heavy workloads are one reason experienced teachers leave the classroom, and marking is only part of the problem. Data entry, behaviour logs, and evening emails can stretch the week past the hours anyone planned for.
Pay is another concern, as graduates with the same degree can earn more in other jobs. Teaching assistants face similar pressures, especially when retail jobs offer comparable pay without lesson preparation at home.
On top of that, some people choose supply teaching because it gives them more control over their working week. Their move leaves fewer teachers in permanent roles. Meanwhile, professional development encourages others to stay when schools fund CPD that helps them become heads of department or SENDCos.
What Rising Pupil Numbers Mean for Recruitment
Secondary rolls have climbed for a decade as a larger primary cohort moved up through the system. The rise in secondary pupil numbers has increased demand for teachers. But some parts of London have seen fewer children entering primary schools.
That split changes where the jobs appear. For instance, primary teaching jobs may be harder to find in inner London, while secondary schools across the UK continue to advertise vacancies.
With vacancies varying by location, schools need to plan their recruitment early. Schools that post job alerts before the 31 May resignation deadline reach teachers who are still deciding. By June, they’ll face greater competition for the remaining candidates.
How Does an Education Recruitment Agency Support Schools?
An education recruitment agency supports schools by sourcing vetted candidates, arranging supply cover, and handling compliance checks. A good teacher recruitment agency supports your school’s staffing needs throughout the year, including planned recruitment and unexpected absences.
Three parts of that job carry most of the value for a school business manager:
- Vetted Candidate Shortlists: Pre-screened shortlists reach you with qualified teacher status, subject specialism, and references already confirmed. Your senior team then spends its time interviewing the right people instead of sorting through unsuitable CVs.
- Supply Cover At Speed: Schools contact local supply teachers before registration to arrange cover for the first lesson. They can also use the same contact list to find cover supervisors and teaching assistants.
- Compliance and Safeguarding Checks: Before anyone enters a classroom, agencies check DBS certificates, right to work documents, and references against Keeping Children Safe in Education. Your office receives one file for the single central record, which saves hours in an inspection week.
Recruitment agencies prove their value when schools face staff shortages that could leave classes without a teacher. That’s why schools should arrange staffing support early. Experienced consultants also understand the needs of primary and secondary schools, so they can find teachers who’ll stay for the full term.
Advertising Teaching Jobs and Support Staff Roles Directly
Advertising vacancies directly helps schools save on agency fees and attract local teachers for future roles. However, the platform schools use affects how many suitable candidates see the vacancy and apply.
Compare the main routes below before you write the next advert:
| Channel | Cost | Works best for |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching Vacancies from the DfE | Free | Permanent teaching jobs and leadership posts in England |
| Tes Jobs | Paid listing | Hard-to-fill subjects that need national reach for education jobs |
| Your school website and newsletter | Free | Teaching assistant jobs and learning support roles |
| Local authority bulletin | Free or low cost | Shared posts between neighbouring schools in London boroughs |
Free job listings still require some admin work. So, schools should have a clear recruitment process and privacy policy for applicant data before receiving CVs. They’ll also need someone to manage applications and respond to candidates, which takes time.
Job Search Channels: Where Teachers Look for Their Next Role
Many teachers look for jobs on their phones before contacting a recruitment agency. They search for teaching jobs in the UK, check vacancies during their commute and apply later at home. Schools need to respond quickly to job applications, as good candidates may receive several offers within a short time.
Email alerts help teachers find suitable vacancies without checking job boards every day. For example, teachers can set alerts for teaching jobs in London or an English teacher post in the West Midlands. Those looking for teacher assistant jobs may prefer to filter vacancies by travel time.
That’s why schools need to include clear details about distance, start date and subject in their adverts. These details help teachers find relevant vacancies on the job sites they already use (teachers may skip listings they’ve already seen).
Online job listings aren’t the only way teachers find work. Word of mouth also helps, especially in the South East, where many schools are close together. For instance, a teaching assistant at one primary school may hear about a permanent job at another nearby school.
If you’ve hired teachers in London recently, you’ll know good candidates don’t stay available for long.
International applications take longer, since visa sponsorship and qualification checks take weeks. Anyone who’s guided an overseas-trained teacher through that paperwork starts it a full term before the agreed start date.
With these different hiring routes in mind, schools can reach teachers through the channels they already use. Post the role and set up job alerts for your own mailing list. Then contact us if you haven’t received suitable applications after a fortnight.
Find the Right Primary and Secondary Teaching Staff
Finding the right teaching staff takes planning and a clear recruitment process. Direct job adverts help schools reach local candidates, while recruitment agencies can help fill urgent vacancies.
So, start your recruitment early and stay in touch with suitable candidates throughout the year. Regular contact can help you fill future vacancies without rushing to find staff before the new term.
SCE Lamp Exchange places teachers and support staff into Early Years, Primary, Secondary and SEN roles in schools across the United Kingdom. Get in touch with the team to discuss your next vacancy and find the right teaching staff for your school.
