In 2024, more than 17,000 teachers made the decision to return to the teaching profession in England according to official statistics that were released last month (June 2025), I have worked recruiting in the education sector for over 23 years and that’s the highest I’ve seen in a very long time.
Behind this headline figure is a fascinating and important story about career purpose, job market dynamics, and the enduring appeal of education as a vocation.
At a time when the economy and many other sectors are faced with uncertainty, teaching is quietly re-emerging as a career of choice, regaining its rightful recognition.
A post-pandemic reality check
Do you remember the pandemic? It seems a distant memory now, but the Covid-19 crisis changed the way society works and lives. In the wake of lockdowns, many teachers stepped away from the classroom. Some took early retirement, others moved into different sectors, more often than not lured by the prospect of new careers that offered a better work-life balance with remote working and more flexible hours.
For many, those decisions made sense at the time. Teachers and education professionals, like everyone else, needed stability and self-care in the face of unprecedented pressure. While some thrived in new careers, others found the grass wasn’t quite as green on the other side. In many sectors, the flexibility came at the cost of long-term job security, progression opportunities, or that crucial sense of purpose that teaching so naturally provides.
So, why have so many teachers returned to teaching?
With education recruiters across the UK, we’ve witnessed first-hand the sector naturally drawing back former recruits to the classroom.
With average teaching salaries now approaching £50,000, the profession is becoming increasingly competitive in the wider job market. In a cost-of-living crisis and with many private sector roles feeling precarious, teaching offers a reassuring level of consistency. Salary, good government pension schemes, structured pay scales, and holiday entitlements all add to the package.
But more importantly, it’s the influx of returners seems to be based on values. So many teachers returning to the job are telling us the same thing: they miss the sense of meaning and fulfilment that working in the sector provides. They miss working with young people. They miss the buzz of the school day, the camaraderie of colleagues, and the feeling that their work truly makes a difference in the world.
Those who experience working in the sector will know – teaching isn’t ‘just a job’, it’s a vocation, a way of life. It draws people in because of what it gives back. That’s something even roles that offer more flexibility and better work-life balance can’t replicate.
Bringing new skills and a fresh perspective
Don’t get me wrong, some teachers have left the profession thinking they were closing a chapter, only to realise they weren’t done. But others are returning with new skills, greater life experience, and a broader perspective on what they want from their working lives.
This influx of returners is incredibly valuable for all schools – primary, secondary and SEND. They bring not just teaching ability, but resilience, adaptability, and renewed energy. They know the pressures and the rewards, and they’ve made a conscious decision to come back, not out of necessity, but out of conviction.
The current narrative around teaching is changing. For years, we’ve seen headlines about shortages, burnout, and workload. But there’s another side to the story: one of rediscovery, opportunity, and optimism.
There’s a tendency to frame returners as people who have come back to the sector because they have tried something else and it didn’t work out. In my teams’ opinion, that’s a limited view. Many are returning with greater clarity about what they want from their career. They’ve sampled other paths and realised that teaching offers something unique.
In an age of digital fatigue, teaching offers human interaction. In a world of gig work and unstable contracts, it provides structure. And in a climate of cynicism and division, it delivers hope.
If you’re a former teacher who has thought about returning, you’re not alone and you’re not too late. The system needs you. Schools are eager to welcome back experienced professionals, and the process of returning is now more supported than ever. From refresher training to mentoring schemes and flexible routes back in, the barriers are lower than they’ve ever been.
If you’re looking to get back into the sector, get in touch and one of our specialist education recruiters will reach out to you.
