Teacher Shortage in the UK: The Latest Figures, Why Teachers Leave and How to Retain Them

Vacancy rates in England are now twice what they were before the pandemic. One in three new teachers leaves within five years, leaving those who stay to take on more work. The teacher shortage in the UK is not something we can worry about later. It is already affecting staffrooms, timetables and supply budgets. 

In this article, you will find the scale of the shortage, the root causes driving teachers out, and practical steps schools can take to retain their staff. With insight from psychologist Kim Schlüter at OpenUp.

How big is the teacher shortage in the UK?

The DfE’s School Workforce Census (2024) recorded 2,200 unfilled teaching posts in England in November 2024. That is five times higher than the 452 vacancies recorded in 2010, and the figure only captures a single day. The House of Commons Library (2026) notes that these statistics are unlikely to reflect the full scale of recruitment difficulties. Schools fill gaps with unqualified staff, non-specialist cover and headteachers who teach instead of leading.

Over the past decade, pupil numbers have outpaced teacher numbers. The pupil-to-teacher ratio has climbed from 17.1 to 18.0. Trainee recruitment is recovering, with the DfE (2025) recording a 11% rise in new trainees for 2025/26, but secondary recruitment remains 12% below target.

Why are teachers leaving the profession?

Most teachers who leave still love their subject and their students. What drives them out is everything around the classroom: administration, meetings, behaviour management and the feeling that they cannot decide how to do their own job. The House of Commons Library (2026) reports that 9% of teachers left the state-funded sector in 2023/24, and between 30% and 33% leave within five years of qualifying.

Pay plays a role. Classroom teacher salaries fell 14% in real terms between 2010 and 2023, and teaching has not adopted the flexible working patterns now common in other graduate professions. The PAC (2025) found that pupil behaviour is now the fastest-growing factor, with ex-teachers citing it as a reason for leaving, jumping from 32% to 44% in one year.

Psychologist Kim Schlüter at OpenUp: “Workload, the absence of colleagues who have fallen ill, and the challenges within classrooms are the topics teachers raise most often in sessions. A lot is asked of them, and it is felt.”

What can schools do to retain teachers?

Teacher retention is not primarily about pay. The PAC (2025) found that workload is the most cited reason teachers leave. Pay matters, but schools have more control over the day-to-day experience than they do over salary scales.

1. Build well-being check-ins into the calendar. A ten-minute monthly conversation catches early signs of burnout that an annual appraisal misses entirely.
2. Protect time by cutting unnecessary admin. Primary teachers work an average of 53.2 hours per week (House of Commons Library, 2026). Reducing non-teaching tasks gives teachers back the space they need for the classroom and for recovery.
3. Support teachers in their first five years. Between 30% and 33% leave within this window (DfE School Workforce Census, 2024). A mentor, manageable contact hours and regular coaching make the difference.
4. Offer low-barrier mental health support. Teachers who can access a psychologist without a waiting list or referral process recover faster.
5. Talk about stress openly in team settings. Schools that normalise mental health conversations see less long-term sickness absence.
6. Consider how flexible working could look in schools. Unlike many other graduate jobs, teaching has not really embraced flexible or hybrid work since the pandemic. According to the NFER (2025), school leaders have room to improve in this area. Allowing planning and preparation time at home and offering part-time contracts for teachers who would otherwise leave gives staff room to stay in the profession without requiring additional headcount.

How OpenUp helps schools retain their teachers

Teachers can get support from a psychologist right away with OpenUp. There is no referral, no waiting list, and no cap on sessions. Appointments are available in the evenings and on weekends, so teachers do not have to miss lessons.

More than 100 education organisations work with OpenUp. HR teams gain anonymised insights into well-being trends through a dashboard, enabling them to act on early signals rather than react to sickness absence after the fact. A dedicated implementation consultant manages the rollout and remains involved to maintain high engagement.

The results are proof in themselves. In the first year, 20% of employees actively use the service. 84% of users report feeling better equipped for future challenges, and 82% recover faster from personal setbacks (OpenUp Impact Report, 2024)