The number of teachers working in schools in England has fallen by 1,900 year-on-year, the latest statistics show.

The fall comes despite the government today celebrating progress towards its pledge to recruit 6,500 new teachers between 2023 and 2029.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said today’s figures showed “real progress” - but the NEU teaching union said they made “a mockery of the government’s promise”.

Labour’s pledge to recruit 6,500 new teachers covers secondary schools, special schools and further education colleges, but not primaries, where pupil numbers have been declining.

Today’s release says that the government is 4,654 teachers towards its target, which is measured against 2023 numbers.

But, while teacher numbers have been growing in special schools and further education, they have fallen year-on-year in secondaries - by 500 full-time equivalent teachers, or 0.2 per cent.

Shadow education secretary Laura Trott said the decline was “particularly worrying” in secondary schools, “where demand for teachers will only grow as more SEND pupils are educated in mainstream settings”.

Overall, there were 466,372 full-time equivalent school teachers in 2025 - a 0.4 per cent decrease from 2024.

In primaries, full-time equivalent teacher numbers fell by 2,900, or 1.3 per cent.

They increased by 1,100, or 3.9 per cent, in special schools and pupil referral units, year on year, and by 300 (6.3 per cent) for centrally employed teachers - who are employed directly by local authorities rather than working at a single school.

Teacher figures ‘make a mockery’ of government pledge

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said: “Overall teacher numbers are down by 1,900, making a mockery of the government’s promise of 6,500 extra teachers.

“The government risks squandering the opportunity that falling pupil numbers provides,” he warned, calling on ministers to “undo the harm caused by a decade and a half of neglect, and create smaller, more inclusive classes and address the crisis in the system”.

In 2025-26, there were 20.7 pupils per teacher in primary schools, and 16.7 in secondaries. These figures have been broadly stable in recent years.

The number of teaching assistants has grown by 6,200 (0.1 per cent) between 2024 and 2025, to 295,183. However, all other support staff roles saw a decrease.

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the 6,500 figure had “always been arbitrary and overly simplistic”.

He said what matters is “putting teachers in place where they are most needed and can make the biggest difference”, including in schools serving the most disadvantaged communities, and in key subject areas.

New entrants drop

There were 41,012 new entrants to the teaching profession in 2025, 800 fewer than in 2024, and the lowest number since at least 2011.

There were also, however, fewer leavers, with 38,600 teachers leaving the state sector in 2024-25 - 2,100 fewer than in 2023-24.

Vacancies fall

Teacher vacancies (full-time and part-time) fell to 1,600 in November 2025, from 2,200 in November 2024, having more than doubled from 1,100 in November 2020 to a peak of 2,800 in November 2023.

Among teachers who qualified in 2024, the retention rate was 89.7 per cent - broadly in line with recent years.

Median teacher pay was £51,048, which is 4 per cent more than last year.

Fewer specialist teaching hours

The proportion of hours taught by teachers with a relevant post-A-level qualification in secondary schools fell across all key stages, with Years 7-9 having the lowest proportion, at 84.3 per cent.

GCSE students had the highest proportion, at 89.6 per cent.

Responding to the statistics, Ms Phillipson said: “We’re making real progress where it’s needed most: over two-thirds of our pledge to recruit 6,500 additional teachers has already been met, fewer teachers are leaving the profession than at any point on record, and more are choosing to build long, rewarding careers in teaching.

“But we know there is more to do. We will keep working to make teaching the valued, well-rewarded profession it ought to be - so that every child, whatever their background or need, has the brilliant teacher they deserve.”