Filling the Gaps: Are Supply Teachers in Demand?

In this blog, you will learn:

• If Supply Teachers are in demand.
• Where the latest Supply Teacher jobs are and how to apply for them.

Supply Teachers play a critical role in educating the next generation and provide an effective solution to staffing gaps in primary, secondary and SEND schools throughout the UK.

Thanks to the nature of supply work, schools can call upon the skills and expertise of Supply Teachers at very short notice. This means that even if a permanent Teacher calls in sick, the school can minimise disruption to student learning by organising cover at a moment's notice.

In our latest blog, we’re exploring why Supply Teachers are in demand and how they help schools maintain a high standard of teaching for pupils of all abilities. 

Are Supply Teachers in demand?

The simple answer is yes, Supply Teachers are in demand throughout primary, secondary and SEN schools across the UK. This is thanks to their flexible nature and ability to step in when a school experiences the unexpected absence of a permanent Teacher. 

Schools aim to deliver a seamless education to students and they must fill any sudden or pre planned gaps in teaching with good, knowledgeable and skilled Supply Teachers. 

The demand for Supply Teachers is driven by numerous factors, including:

• Recruitment challenges.
• Teacher burnout.
• Seasonal illness.
• Maternity and paternity cover.
• Unexpected absences.
• Budget constraints affecting permanent hires.

Recruitment challenges

The demand for Supply Teachers is in part driven by recruitment challenges within the sector. In 2025-2026, there are fewer postgraduate trainees projected to enter the teaching profession, in comparison to the previous year. With numbers dwindling and many Teachers reaching retirement age, this is creating challenges for schools who need to recruit.

According to a report by Teacher Tapp and SchoolDash, recruitment for Teachers within secondary schools has seen the most notable decrease, with job adverts down by 31% in 2025, compared to the previous year. The decrease in recruitment is said to result from fewer Teachers switching jobs after the post-COVID surge and declining student numbers, which are especially prevalent in London. 

Secondary education recruitment specialist, Liam Jones, says, “As schools continue to tighten their budgets because of changes to supply and demand, Supply Teachers are an appealing alternative to permanent staff.”

Teacher burnout

The demand for Supply Teachers can be attributed to Teacher burnout, experienced by those who teach full time. A heavy school workload can result in a disrupted work-life balance for many permanent Teachers, potentially increasing their likelihood of being off sick. 

According to a survey by the National Education Union (NEU), 62% of responding Teachers believe that stress ‘affects them more than 60% of the time’. 

Struggles with managing a healthy work-life balance are reinforced by the NEU survey, where 75% of Teachers said they ‘find themselves ‘unable’ to switch off from work-related thoughts and tasks when at home’.

Should permanent Teachers have to take time off sick as a result of burnout, schools may call upon good Supply Teachers to fill gaps. 

Seasonal illness

Seasonal illnesses amongst permanent Teachers can contribute to a high demand for Supply Teachers. Especially in the winter months, when colds and flus are rife, schools witness a dramatic increase in the number of staff off sick. 

According to gov.uk, the 2023/24 academic year saw nearly 66% of Teachers in England taking sickness leave. This equates to an average of 8.3 days lost per Teacher. 

Staff absences can negatively interrupt student learning and good Supply Teachers are regularly required to step in and oversee teaching in the permanent Teachers absence. 

Maternity and paternity cover

Based on data from the Department for Education, roughly 20,000 Teachers (4.8%) take maternity leave each year. Supply Teachers are often called upon for long-term cover when a permanent Teacher goes on maternity leave. Whilst paternity leave is generally shorter for male Teachers, Supply Teachers are also used to cover this period of time.

There is a common misconception that Supply Teachers don’t make a real impact. However, covering for a Teacher on maternity or paternity leave gives them much more time with one school and its students, providing more opportunities to make an impact.

Unexpected absences

Supply Teachers bridge gaps in education when the unexpected absence of a permanent Teacher occurs. A permanent Teacher may suddenly have to take leave from work if they are diagnosed with an illness, have to care for a sick relative or suffer a family bereavement.

When situations like this occur, a school will call upon a Supply Teacher to minimise disruption to student learning.

Budget constraints affecting permanent hires

As budget challenges continue to affect recruitment within schools, team structures and staffing levels continue to be impacted. For some schools, it is not financially viable to hire a permanent member of staff to cover a temporary gap in the team. 

The costs associated with salaries and pensions are making it difficult for Headteachers to commit to permanent hires. This is where the demand for Supply Teachers increases, with supply staff offering a flexible solution to budget constraints. 

Supply teaching jobs for Early Career Teachers

Passed your PGCE but struggling to secure a permanent teaching job? 

As specialists in education recruitment, we work alongside hundreds of primary and secondary schools throughout the North West of England who regularly need Supply Teachers. 

Whether you’re looking to build your classroom confidence, fit your new teaching job around existing responsibilities or test the water before committing to a permanent position, we can help you enter the wonderful world of supply teaching. 

We usually find that schools love our Supply Teachers that much, they end up taking them on in a permanent position. 

Even if you’re not searching for supply work, if you refer a Teacher to us and we successfully place them into a teaching role, you could earn yourself £250 in vouchers! (Ts & Cs apply)

Recruit Supply Teachers

As a specialist education recruitment agency, we support mainstream and SEND schools with Supply Teachers and support staff across the whole of the North West. If you’re struggling to find cover, why not get in touch with one of our team to see how we can help?

• Primary schools - Jimmy Callagher 
• Secondary schools - Liam Jones
• SEND schools - Jamie Heath

Meet Liam Jones

Who is Spencer Clarke Group?

Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations. 

In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of.