Teacher numbers fall as NAHT warns of ‘severe’ recruitment crisis

The number of teachers in England has fallen for the second year running, prompting the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) to raise fresh warnings about a worsening recruitment and retention crisis in schools.

According to new government figures published on 9 June, the total number of teachers dropped to 468,258 in 2024, down from 468,690 the previous year. The number of new entrants to teaching also declined to 41,736, while the number of newly qualified teachers fell to 16,999.

Sustained declines were recorded among teachers aged under 25 and those aged 25 to 29. Vacancies also remained at persistently high levels.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary at the school leaders’ union, said the figures “lay bare the scale of the challenge the government faces” in meeting its target of recruiting 6,500 additional teachers by the end of the Parliament.

He said: “Almost as many teachers are leaving the profession as are starting out in it, and vacancies make it challenging for schools to deliver the full curriculum, with subjects being taught by non-specialists and supply teachers.

“It is clear the government needs a sharp and sustained focus on restoring teaching as an attractive and sustainable long term professional graduate career – something the previous administration failed miserably to achieve.”

In light of this, Whiteman called on the government to commit to restoring teachers’ pay in real terms to 2010 levels, reducing workload, and reforming Ofsted inspections, which he described as “discredited and dangerous”.

Whiteman added: “Ultimately, despite the best efforts of schools and their leaders, it is children’s education which suffers if schools do not have the teachers they need.”