Schools across England face unprecedented struggle to hire English teachers as recruitment crisis grows

Headteachers say situation is critical as they try to fill vacancies for September

• ‘Trying to find a maths or science teacher is like looking for a unicorn’: inside English schools’ recruitment crisis

Schools in England are struggling to recruit English teachers, with hundreds still trying to fill vacancies in time for September, as headteachers warn they have reached crisis point.

Secondary heads say they have become used to adverts for maths, science, computer science and design technology teachers failing to attract any suitable applicants. But many have been shocked to find that it is now a similar battle to find teachers for English – traditionally a subject that buoyed recruitment numbers.