School teacher workforce
Published
- 1. Navigate toMain facts and figures section
- 2. Navigate toThings you need to know section
- 3. Navigate toBy ethnicity section
- 4. Navigate toBy ethnicity and gender section
- 5. Navigate toBy ethnicity and role section
- 6. Navigate toBy ethnicity and type of school section
- 7. Navigate toBy ethnicity and gender (headteachers only) section
- 8. Navigate toData sources section
- 9. Navigate toDownload the data section
1. Main facts and figures
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in 2019, 85.7% of all teachers in state-funded schools in England were White British (where ethnicity was known)
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78.5% of the working age population was White British at the time of the 2011 Census
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3.8% of teachers were from the White Other ethnic group, the second highest percentage after the White British group
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92.7% of headteachers were White British
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75.8% of teachers were women, and there were more female than male teachers in every ethnic group
2. Things you need to know
What the data measures
The data shows:
- the number of school teachers, including headteachers, in state-funded schools in England
- the percentage of school teachers from different ethnic groups
The data includes both full and part-time teachers employed by their school or local authority. It covers all state-funded schools, including academies and free schools.
Total numbers of teachers in each ethnic group are rounded to the nearest 100. All percentages are rounded to 1 decimal place.
Not included in the data
The data does not include
- teaching assistants
- teachers on contracts of less than 1 month
It also does not include teachers in:
- independent schools
- sixth form colleges
- further education schools and colleges
Estimates based on fewer than 50 teachers have not been included. This is to ensure that only reliable findings are shown.
The ethnic groups used in the data
The data uses [ethnic groups from the 2001 Census]. Working age population estimates come from the 2011 Census.
The 2001 Census categories do not include the Arab, and White Gypsy and Irish Traveller ethnic groups. Data for these groups is included in ‘Any Other ethnic group’.
Ethnicity was known for around 92% of teachers. Percentages are based on teachers whose ethnicity was known.
Methodology
Read the detailed methodology document for this data.
In the data file
See [Download the data] for figures dating back to 2016.
3. By ethnicity
Ethnicity | % of teacher workforce | Teachers | % of working age population |
---|---|---|---|
Asian | |||
Bangladeshi | 0.6 | 3,000 | 0.8 |
Indian | 1.9 | 8,900 | 3.0 |
Pakistani | 1.2 | 5,700 | 2.0 |
Asian other | 0.7 | 3,200 | 1.7 |
Black | |||
Black African | 0.9 | 4,200 | 1.9 |
Black Caribbean | 1.1 | 4,900 | 1.2 |
Black other | 0.3 | 1,500 | 0.5 |
Mixed | |||
Mixed White/Asian | 0.4 | 1,700 | 0.5 |
Mixed White/Black African | 0.1 | 600 | 0.2 |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 0.4 | 1,700 | 0.6 |
Mixed other | 0.5 | 2,400 | 0.5 |
White | |||
White British | 85.7 | 395,900 | 78.5 |
White Irish | 1.5 | 6,900 | 1.0 |
White other | 3.8 | 17,700 | 5.6 |
Other including Chinese | |||
Chinese | 0.2 | 800 | 0.9 |
Any other | 0.6 | 2,800 | 1.1 |
Unknown | N/A* | 38,800 | N/A* |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity’ (CSV)
Summary of School teacher workforce By ethnicity Summary
The data shows that:
-
in 2019, 85.7% of all teachers in state-funded schools in England were White British (where ethnicity was known)
-
78.5% of the working age population was White British at the time of the 2011 Census
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3.8% of teachers were from the White Other ethnic group, and 1.9% were from the Indian ethnic group – by comparison, 5.6% of the working age population was from the White Other group, and 3.0% was from the Indian ethnic group
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White Irish people made up 1.5% of teachers, and 1.0% of the working age population
4. By ethnicity and gender
Men | Women | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Ethnicity | Men % | Men Teachers | Women % | Women Teachers |
Asian | ||||
Bangladeshi | 0.7 | 800 | 0.6 | 2,200 |
Indian | 1.5 | 1,700 | 2.1 | 7,200 |
Pakistani | 1.1 | 1,300 | 1.3 | 4,400 |
Asian other | 0.7 | 800 | 0.7 | 2,400 |
Black | ||||
Black African | 1.4 | 1,500 | 0.8 | 2,600 |
Black Caribbean | 1.0 | 1,100 | 1.1 | 3,800 |
Black other | 0.4 | 400 | 0.3 | 1,100 |
Mixed | ||||
Mixed White/Asian | 0.4 | 400 | 0.3 | 1,200 |
Mixed White/Black African | 0.2 | 200 | 0.1 | 500 |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 0.4 | 400 | 0.4 | 1,300 |
Mixed other | 0.5 | 600 | 0.5 | 1,900 |
White | ||||
White British | 85.8 | 95,600 | 85.7 | 300,300 |
White Irish | 1.8 | 2,000 | 1.4 | 4,900 |
White other | 3.3 | 3,700 | 4.0 | 14,000 |
Other including Chinese | ||||
Chinese | 0.2 | 200 | 0.2 | 600 |
Any other | 0.6 | 700 | 0.6 | 2,100 |
Unknown | N/A* | 10,000 | N/A* | 28,800 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity and gender’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity and gender’ (CSV)
Summary of School teacher workforce By ethnicity and gender Summary
The data shows that:
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in 2019, 75.8% of school teachers were women
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in every ethnic group, there were more female than male teachers
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White British people made up 85.8% of male teachers and 85.7% of female teachers
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among female teachers, 4.0% were from the White Other ethnic group and 2.1% were from the Indian ethnic group – the next highest percentages for women
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among male teachers, 3.3% were from the White Other ethnic group and 1.8% were White Irish – the next highest percentages for men
5. By ethnicity and role
Classroom | Deputies and assistants | Heads | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ethnicity | Classroom % | Classroom Teachers | Deputies and assistants % | Deputies and assistants Teachers | Heads % | Heads Teachers |
Asian | ||||||
Bangladeshi | 0.7 | 2,800 | 0.3 | 100 | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Indian | 2.0 | 8,000 | 1.5 | 700 | 0.8 | 200 |
Pakistani | 1.3 | 5,300 | 0.7 | 300 | 0.4 | 100 |
Asian other | 0.7 | 2,900 | 0.4 | 200 | 0.2 | 100 |
Black | ||||||
Black African | 1.0 | 3,900 | 0.4 | 200 | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Black Caribbean | 1.1 | 4,300 | 1.0 | 500 | 0.7 | 200 |
Black other | 0.4 | 1,400 | 0.2 | 100 | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Mixed | ||||||
Mixed White/Asian | 0.4 | 1,500 | 0.3 | 100 | 0.3 | 100 |
Mixed White/Black African | 0.1 | 600 | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 0.4 | 1,600 | 0.3 | 100 | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Mixed other | 0.6 | 2,200 | 0.4 | 200 | 0.3 | 100 |
White | ||||||
White British | 84.9 | 334,600 | 89.7 | 41,800 | 92.7 | 19,500 |
White Irish | 1.5 | 5,700 | 1.7 | 800 | 1.8 | 400 |
White other | 4.1 | 16,200 | 2.4 | 1,100 | 1.8 | 400 |
Other including Chinese | ||||||
Chinese | 0.2 | 800 | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Any other | 0.6 | 2,600 | 0.4 | 200 | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Unknown | N/A* | 34,500 | N/A* | 3,000 | N/A* | 1,300 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity and role’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity and role’ (CSV)
Summary of School teacher workforce By ethnicity and role Summary
The data shows that, out of teachers whose ethnicity was known:
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White British people made up 92.7% of headteachers, 89.7% of deputy or assistant headteachers and 84.9% of classroom teachers
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0.1% of classroom teachers were Mixed White and Black African – the lowest percentage out of all ethnic groups in this role
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0.1% of deputy and assistant headteachers were from the Mixed White and Black African, and Chinese ethnic groups – the lowest percentage out of all ethnic groups in this role
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aside from White British, the White Irish ethnic group was the only group with a higher percentage of headteachers (1.8%) than deputy or assistant head teachers (1.7%) or classroom teachers (1.5%)
6. By ethnicity and type of school
Nursery and Primary | Secondary | Special | Centrally employed | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ethnicity | Nursery and Primary % | Nursery and Primary Teachers | Secondary % | Secondary Teachers | Special % | Special Teachers | Centrally employed % | Centrally employed Teachers |
Asian | ||||||||
Bangladeshi | 0.6 | 1,300 | 0.8 | 1,600 | 0.2 | 100 | 0.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Indian | 1.7 | 3,900 | 2.3 | 4,700 | 1.0 | 200 | 0.9 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Pakistani | 1.1 | 2,500 | 1.5 | 3,000 | 0.5 | 100 | 0.4 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Asian other | 0.5 | 1,100 | 0.9 | 1,900 | 0.5 | 100 | 0.4 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Black | ||||||||
Black African | 0.5 | 1,100 | 1.4 | 2,800 | 1.0 | 200 | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Black Caribbean | 0.9 | 2,000 | 1.2 | 2,500 | 1.4 | 300 | 0.8 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Black other | 0.2 | 600 | 0.4 | 900 | 0.4 | 100 | 0.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Mixed | ||||||||
Mixed White/Asian | 0.3 | 800 | 0.4 | 800 | 0.3 | 100 | 0.4 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Mixed White/Black African | 0.1 | 300 | 0.2 | 300 | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 0.4 | 800 | 0.4 | 800 | 0.4 | 100 | 0.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Mixed other | 0.5 | 1,100 | 0.6 | 1,200 | 0.5 | 100 | 0.5 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
White | ||||||||
White British | 88.6 | 205,900 | 82.2 | 165,800 | 86.1 | 20,900 | 89.8 | 3,300 |
White Irish | 1.3 | 2,900 | 1.8 | 3,600 | 1.4 | 300 | 1.0 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
White other | 2.9 | 6,700 | 4.8 | 9,600 | 5.6 | 1,400 | 4.0 | 100 |
Other including Chinese | ||||||||
Chinese | 0.1 | 300 | 0.3 | 500 | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Any other | 0.4 | 1,000 | 0.8 | 1,700 | 0.6 | 100 | 0.5 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Unknown | N/A* | 16,800 | N/A* | 19,000 | N/A* | 2,100 | N/A* | 1,000 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity and type of school’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity and type of school’ (CSV)
Summary of School teacher workforce By ethnicity and type of school Summary
The data shows that, out of teachers whose ethnicity was known:
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White British people made up 88.6% of nursery and primary school teachers, 82.2% of secondary school teachers, 86.1% of special school teachers, and 89.8% of those who were centrally employed
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teachers from the White Other group were the next largest group in all types of school, making up 2.9% of nursery and primary school teachers, 4.8% of secondary school teachers, 5.6% of special school teachers, and 4.0% of centrally employed teachers
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in special schools, the lowest percentages of teachers were from the Chinese, Bangladeshi, and Mixed White and Black African ethnic groups
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in every other type of school, the lowest percentages of teachers were from the Chinese, and Mixed White and Black African ethnic groups
7. By ethnicity and gender (headteachers only)
Men | Women | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Ethnicity | Men % | Men Headteachers | Women % | Women Headteachers |
Asian | ||||
Bangladeshi | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Indian | 0.6 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 1.0 | 100 |
Pakistani | 0.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.4 | 100 |
Asian other | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Black | ||||
Black African | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Black Caribbean | 0.6 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.8 | 100 |
Black other | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Mixed | ||||
Mixed White/Asian | 0.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Mixed White/Black African | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Mixed other | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
White | ||||
White British | 92.9 | 6,400 | 92.6 | 13,200 |
White Irish | 2.1 | 100 | 1.7 | 200 |
White other | 2.0 | 100 | 1.8 | 200 |
Other including Chinese | ||||
Chinese | 0.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Any other | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality |
Unknown | N/A* | 500 | N/A* | 900 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity and gender (headteachers only)’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity and gender (headteachers only)’ (CSV)
Summary of School teacher workforce By ethnicity and gender (headteachers only) Summary
The data shows that:
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there were around 22,400 headteachers in 2019, and over two-thirds of those (around 15,100) were women
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96.1% of female headteachers were White (92.6% White British, 1.7% White Irish, and 1.8% White Other)
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97.0% of male headteachers were White (92.9% White British, 2.1% White Irish, and 2.0% White Other)
8. Data sources
Source
School workforce in England: November 2019
Type of data
Administrative data
Type of statistic
National Statistics
Publisher
Department for Education
Publication frequency
Yearly
Purpose of data source
School workforce data is used to monitor the effectiveness and diversity of staff in schools, and informs policies on pay.
It is also used by other government departments, local authorities, external agencies and educational researchers.
9. Download the data
This file contains the following: measure, year, time_type, ethnicity, ethnicity_type, geography, broad ethnicity, gender, gender_type, teacher, teacher_type, school, school_type, value, value_type, value_note and teachers