Workforce

The latest news and analysis on the school workforce in the UK and at international schools, including teacher recruitment, retention and shortage subjects

Thursday

4th Jun 2026

Teacher numbers fall by nearly 2,000
But government claims progress towards its manifesto pledge to recruit 6,500 new teachers
Car park half empty

Friday

29th May 2026

Why is teacher workload still so high?
Despite government efforts to reduce workload, teachers report they are still working many hours of overtime. Leaders from across the sector tell us why
Lots of files

Wednesday

20th May 2026

Teach First to be awarded flagship teacher training contract
The High Potential Initial Teacher Training programme will be a key part of the government’s plans to recruit 6,500 more teachers by the end of the current Parliament
Contract being signed
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Friday

15th May 2026

The 4 fundamentals that drive great schools, anywhere in the world
Robert Tarn reflects on his time as a trust CEO and now working for an international schools group on what great education looks like, whatever the context
Swimmer on start line

Wednesday

13th May 2026

Teachers abandon pension scheme as cost of living bites
Annual withdrawals from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme have nearly doubled since 2020, official figures show
60,000 teachers opt out of pension scheme
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Monday

11th May 2026

Early career teachers learning ‘a lot more’ from new framework
Verdict on initial teacher training and early career frameworks provided by first major poll since they were combined in 2025
Teacher in classroom
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Thursday

7th May 2026

Nearly a quarter of new teachers not entering profession, study reveals
Administration tasks and workload provide ‘reality shock’ as new teachers discover what the role is really like, UCL researchers find
Nearly quarter of new teachers not entering profession, study reveals

Friday

1st May 2026

Can ‘radical transparency’ boost international school recruitment?
To address the challenge of recruitment and retention in international schools, leaders are now adopting a policy of ‘honest’ discussions with candidates even before the interview, finds Emma Seith
Cleaning windows

Thursday

30th Apr 2026

Flexible-working scheme fails to reach schools most in need of help
Only 3 per cent of school leaders were even aware of the government’s programme to increase flexible working after its first year, says DfE report
Concerns have been raised that the Department for Education’s (DfE) flexible working scheme did not reach the schools “most in need” of flexible working support.

Wednesday

29th Apr 2026

How falling rolls are reshaping England’s schools
The downward trend in pupil numbers is dramatically affecting schools’ funding. So what impact is this having on staffing and classes, and are there any silver linings to the crisis? Ellen Peirson-Hagger investigates
Taps with running water

Monday

27th Apr 2026

Supply agency fee capped at £55 per day under DfE ‘mandate’
New policy aimed at saving schools money is welcomed, but heads’ union points out that fewer supply staff would be needed if teacher recruitment and retention were improved
Supply agency fee capped at £55 per day under DfE ‘mandate’

Friday

24th Apr 2026

Growing number of new teachers quitting the profession in Scotland
Lib Dems voice fears of a ‘mismatch’ between the number of early career teachers and the availability of jobs
Growing number of new teachers quit profession in Scotland
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