If you ask anyone hunting for a teaching job today, they all say the same thing: the market’s changed big time. Maths teachers might remember breezing into a job straight after graduation twenty years ago, but that’s no longer the only lane. Now, you see headteachers battling over science teachers, special needs experts, and those rare hybrid educators who can teach coding and English. And it’s not just about what subject you teach—it’s where, how, and sometimes even why.
Why Some Teachers Are Always in Demand
Let’s dig into what actually drives demand for teachers. It’s not just about student numbers. Trends in technology, government funding, and even global events shape what schools desperately need right now. Think about the COVID-19 lockdowns. Suddenly, every school scrambled to digitize lessons. Those teachers already comfy with tech? Gold dust. Fast forward to 2025, and the world hasn’t settled down. If anything, the needs have exploded further. The government released data showing that in 2023, there were over 5,500 unfilled teaching posts across England, and this figure isn’t dropping. London and the West Midlands are especially hard-hit, but rural schools are struggling just as much.
The subject you teach matters—a lot. A recent Department for Education study laid it bare: in secondary schools, science, maths, and computer science teachers are snapped up within days. Some schools even offer signing bonuses to lock in staff. In contrast, there’s a surplus of PE and humanities teachers. If you’re certified to teach more than one in-demand subject or have qualifications like SEN (Special Educational Needs), you’ll have your pick of jobs. For example, hybrid STEM teachers with qualifications in both maths and computer science are now some of the most recruited educators in the country.
Where you teach also impacts demand. A newly qualified physics teacher in Birmingham gets calls from schools 30 miles away pleading for an interview, while an early years teacher may see fewer, more local options. There’s even demand in some international schools for teachers who can deliver the UK curriculum overseas. So, think beyond your own neighbourhood.
The Unbeatable Need for STEM Teachers
This is where numbers really tell the story. Every year, fewer graduates choose to teach STEM subjects compared to how many the country actually needs. In 2024, just 56% of the target number for physics teacher recruitment was met in England. Schools are closing the gap with overseas teachers, but it’s not enough. And while sometimes politics can fuel these shortages, most of the time it’s simply a maths game: not enough people with the right degree want to teach in the first place.
Let me show you how it shakes out. Here’s what the Department for Education reported for initial teacher training recruitment in 2024:
| Subject | % of Recruitment Target Met |
|---|---|
| Physics | 56% |
| Computing | 65% |
| Maths | 73% |
| Biology | 90% |
| Modern Languages | 62% |
If you’re a recent graduate in maths, physics, chemistry or computer science, schools are competing for you. One headteacher told The Guardian this year that finding an experienced A-level physics teacher is “harder than finding a unicorn.” And it’s why new teachers in STEM subjects can get relocation grants, higher starting pay, or even retention bonuses after two years.
But it’s not just about teaching kids equations or scientific methods. These teachers are preparing future workers for jobs that don’t even exist yet. That’s especially true for computing, AI, and coding. Today, Key Stage 3 students are expected to learn everything from basic Python to cybersecurity. If you can teach both computing and another STEM subject, you’re not just employable—you’re in the top 5% of candidates.
Here’s a tip if you’re eyeing these roles: Get familiar with newer curricula like T-Levels and the Digital Functional Skills qualification. Also, schools crave teachers who understand tech beyond the subject matter, like using virtual classrooms or AI-driven tools for marking and feedback. Re-skilling workshops and short courses in ed-tech could land you better jobs or help your school leap ahead in digital learning.
SEN and Specialist Teachers: An Urgent Priority
Special Educational Needs (SEN) is an area that barely gets attention unless you’re inside the system. But look at the numbers, and the shortage is even worse than STEM. In 2024, more than 1.5 million pupils in England (about 16% of all students) were identified as having special needs. Yet, there’s a chronic lack of qualified SEN teachers. Schools wait months to fill vacancies. And those already on the job often say they’re stretched thin.
Why the dire need? First, diagnoses for autism, ADHD, and other learning differences have skyrocketed. Medical progress means more kids can attend mainstream schools—but they need extra help. It’s not just about learning support assistants; certified SEN teachers plan bespoke lessons, adapt curriculums, and work hand-in-hand with therapists. They also support classroom teachers who might feel out of their depth.
When the Department for Education surveyed headteachers in 2025, over 45% reported SEN as the hardest position to fill. Yet, the work can be incredibly rewarding. SEN teachers develop specialist knowledge that’s transferrable far beyond schools, including social care and some NHS roles.
There are also niche roles only just emerging: think teachers focused on assistive technologies, or those who help pupils transition back into mainstream classes after medical absences. Good training in areas like dyslexia support, social communication, or mental health makes you stand out. Local councils and trusts sometimes fund extra training if you’re willing and able.
A bonus tip: Upskill with courses from organisations like the National Association for Special Educational Needs or online workshops about assistive technology. You could add dyslexia teaching, speech and language difficulties, or behaviour management to your toolkit in just a year or two, and that makes your CV far more appealing.
Emerging Needs: Tech, Languages, and Flexibility
Here’s a curveball—not all the most needed teachers work full-time, nor are they always found in traditional schools. Remember the shock when virtual learning suddenly became mainstream in 2020? Even now in 2025, demand is booming for teachers who can deliver quality online education, from remote English conversation classes to advanced coding bootcamps. Some teachers now work remotely for schools in the Middle East or Asia without even leaving their kitchen in Birmingham.
Language teachers, especially for Mandarin, Spanish, and French, are snapping up jobs because schools want to prepare students for a globalised workplace. Brexit shifted priorities here—schools want teachers who can offer language learning that opens future job markets for kids, not just pass exams. The number of young people studying languages at GCSE dropped for years, but now the Department for Education is investing in campaigns to reverse the trend and boost foreign language skills across England.
Flexibility is another big plus. Multi-skilled teachers who can cover several key stages or subjects are highly valued. You’ll stand out if you’re a qualified teacher who can also coach a sport, run a coding club, or lead pastoral care. Some schools offer “floating” roles for specialists who teach across departments as needed. In a recent survey from Teacher Tapp, 63% of school leaders said they would hire a teacher who could cover multiple hard-to-fill subjects over a subject specialist with no flexibility.
And hybrid learning is sticking around. Teachers skilled in both classroom and online teaching have double the job security. Building up your practical tech skills—using Google Classroom, Teams, or even AI tools—will help you stand out next time there’s a shift to remote or blended models.
For anyone thinking of retraining or upskilling, focus on shortage subjects, gaining SEN qualifications, adding tech know-how, or picking up valuable languages. If you’re not sure where to start, check out DfE’s subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) courses or look at university-led short courses in new areas like machine learning for teachers.