Demand for teachers spikes in the first month of the new academic year

Vacancies in education spiked in September following the summer lull, but applications continue to decline. That’s according to new research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), the trade association for the professional recruitment sector.  

The data – provided by the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology – revealed that permanent vacancies in the sector were up 35% month-on-month in September, the largest increase reported in the last twelve months. The annual comparison paints a similar picture, with jobs up 29% between September 2022 and September 2023.

According to the research, applications took a tumble last month, marking the lowest number of people applying for jobs this year so far, recording just over 62,000 applications. This is significantly down on the heady heights of June and July when figures topped the 100,000 mark each month.

Ann Swain, Global CEO of APSCo, comments:

While we expect seasonal lulls and spikes in hiring in the education sector, the annual uptick in demand noted as the new academic year began shows that schools, Trusts and academies are already struggling with staff shortages. With applications tumbling as demand picks up, it seems that the talent crisis in education is set to remain an issue for some time to come. While we welcome the focus on supporting the sector that both the Labour and Conservative parties highlighted at their recent conferences, education needs actions more than words.