Teaching Jobs in 2026: What Roles Are Schools Hiring for Right Now?

Primary schools continue to recruit teachers across different year groups, from Early Years through to Key Stage 2.

If you’re a qualified primary teacher, you may find opportunities for permanent, long-term or supply Teaching roles. Schools may also recruit teachers to cover maternity leave, staff changes or increased pupil numbers.

For those looking for flexibility, supply Teaching can also provide the opportunity to work across different schools while gaining experience and deciding what type of setting suits you best.

Secondary schools recruit across a wide range of subjects, meaning opportunities can differ considerably depending on your specialism.

Subjects such as English, Maths and Science can offer opportunities for qualified teachers, while schools may also recruit teachers across subjects including Humanities, Modern Foreign Languages, Computing, PE, Art, Music and more.

If you’re looking for a secondary Teaching role, it can be useful to consider both your subject specialism and the year groups you’re most interested in working with.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) continues to be an important area of recruitment within education.

Schools and specialist settings may be looking for SEND Teachers, Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), Teaching Assistants and Learning Support Assistants with experience supporting pupils with additional needs.

Experience with autism, ADHD, challenging behaviour, communication needs or other additional needs can be valuable for a range of SEND-focused positions.

SEND roles can be found across mainstream schools, specialist schools, alternative provision and other educational settings.

You don’t always need to be a qualified teacher to build a career in education.

Teaching Assistant (TA) roles remain an option for people who want to work directly with pupils and support their learning. Depending on the role, you could work with an entire class, provide one-to-one support or specialise in areas such as SEND.

Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs) may also take on additional responsibilities, including supporting lessons and working with pupils across different year groups.

For graduates, people considering a career change or those with previous experience working with children and young people, Teaching Assistant roles can also be a way to gain valuable experience in a school environment.

Cover Supervisors can play an important role in helping schools maintain continuity when a teacher is unavailable.

These roles can be particularly relevant for graduates considering a career in Teaching, as they provide experience working in a classroom and managing groups of pupils.

You don’t necessarily need Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to work as a Cover Supervisor, although requirements can vary between schools and roles.

For anyone considering teacher training in the future, working as a Cover Supervisor can also provide useful insight into what working in a school environment is like.

There are also opportunities outside traditional mainstream schools.

Alternative Provision settings support pupils who may not currently be able to access mainstream education in the usual way. These settings can require staff who are confident building positive relationships with young people and supporting pupils with a range of educational, behavioural and additional needs.

Roles can include Teachers, Teaching Assistants, Learning Support Assistants, tutors and pastoral staff.

For some candidates, specialist education can offer a different type of Teaching environment and the opportunity to make a direct difference to pupils who need additional support.

Tutoring is another area worth considering if you have a background in education.

Schools, families and education providers may look for tutors to provide additional academic support in subjects such as English, Maths and Science.

Tutoring can suit qualified teachers, experienced Teaching Assistants, graduates and other education professionals, depending on the requirements of the role.

It can also offer a different working pattern to traditional classroom-based Teaching, making it an option worth exploring if flexibility is important to you.