School teacher workforce

Published

1. Main facts and figures

  • in the 2024 to 2025 school year, 83.2% of all teachers in state-funded schools in England were White British (out of those whose ethnicity was known) – by comparison, 71.8% of working age people in England were White British at the time of the 2021 Census

  • 88.6% of all teachers in state-funded schools were White, and 5.8% were Asian – by comparison, 80.7% of the working age population in England were White and 10.1% were Asian

  • Inner London had the smallest percentage of White British teachers (50.1%) out of all regions

  • 14.6% of teachers in the Inner London region were Asian, and 13.1% were Black

  • 91.8% of headteachers were White British

  • 75.6% of teachers were female, and there were more female than male teachers in every ethnic group

Further research

Research into school teacher diversity in England found that 46.1% of state schools in England did not have a classroom teacher from an ethnic minority background. The lack of ethnic representation was greater in primary schools. This was despite ethnic representation in schools having improved over time.

Similarly, a 2022 study by the National Foundation for Education and Research (NFER) found that people from ethnic minorities were underrepresented at all career stages of the teaching profession, with significant disparities in the progression rates.

2. Things you need to know

What the data measures

The data shows the number of school teachers in state-funded schools in England, by ethnicity.

It also shows the number and percentage of school teachers by region, sex and role, including:

  • headteachers
  • deputy headteachers
  • assistant headteachers
  • classroom teachers

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.

Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.

Not included in the data

The data does not include:

  • teaching assistants
  • teachers on contracts of less than one month

It also does not include teachers in:

  • independent schools
  • sixth form colleges
  • further education schools and colleges

The ethnic groups used in the data

Data for the 2024 to 2025 school year uses ethnic groups from the 2011 Census.

Data for 2010 to 2023 uses:

Working age population estimates are from the 2021 Census.

Ethnicity was known for 88.2% of teachers. Percentages are based on teachers whose ethnicity was known.

Methodology

Read the detailed methodology document for this data.

In the data file

Download the data for data from 2010 onwards which includes:

  • grade
  • region
  • school type (referred to in DfE publications as ‘school phase’)
  • sex

3. By ethnicity

Percentages and headcount of school teachers, and percentages of the working age population (2021), by ethnicity
Ethnicity % of teacher workforce Headcount % of working age population (2021)
All 100.0 513,434 100.0
Asian 5.8 26,120 10.1
Bangladeshi 0.9 1,110 1.1
Chinese 0.3 3,910 0.9
Indian 2.1 9,502 3.4
Pakistani 1.6 7,151 2.7
Asian other 1.0 4,448 1.9
Black 2.9 12,992 4.4
Black African 1.2 5,442 2.8
Black Caribbean 1.2 5,504 1.2
Black other 0.5 2,046 0.4
Mixed 1.9 8,448 2.5
Mixed White and Asian 0.5 2,049 0.6
Mixed White and Black African 0.2 801 0.3
Mixed White and Black Caribbean 0.5 2,205 0.8
Mixed other 0.8 3,394 0.7
White 88.6 400,935 80.7
White British 83.2 376,500 71.8
White Irish 1.3 5,962 0.8
White Gypsy or Irish Traveller 0.0 30 0.1
White other 4.1 18,443 7.7
Other 0.9 4,216 2.3
Arab 0.0 29 0.6
Any other 0.9 4,187 1.8
Unknown N/A* 60,723 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 the 2024 to 2025 academic year, where ethnicity was known:

  • 83.2% of all teachers in state-funded schools in England were White British – by comparison, 71.8% of working age people in England were White British at the time of the 2021 Census

  • people from the White Other ethnic group made up 4.1% of teachers, and 7.7% of the working age population

  • people from the Indian ethnic group made up 2.1% of teachers, and 3.4% of the working age population

  • people from the aggregated Asian ethnic group made up 5.8% of teachers, and 10.1% of the working age population

  • people from the aggregated Other ethnic group made up 0.9% of teachers, and 2.3% of the working age population

4. By ethnicity and sex

Percentages and headcount of school teachers, by ethnicity and sex
Total Male Female Unknown
Ethnicity Total % Total Headcount Male % Male Headcount Female % Female Headcount Unknown % Unknown Headcount
All 100.0 513,434 100.0 125,194 100.0 388,123 100.0 117
Asian 5.8 26,120 5.2 5,686 6.0 20,426 14.6 8
Bangladeshi 0.9 3,910 0.9 944 0.9 2,966 1.8 1
Chinese 0.3 1,110 0.3 298 0.2 812 0.0 0
Indian 2.1 9,502 1.7 1,817 2.2 7,683 3.6 2
Pakistani 1.6 7,151 1.4 1,559 1.6 5,590 1.8 1
Asian other 1.0 4,448 1.0 1,069 1.0 3,375 7.3 4
Black 2.9 12,992 3.6 3,891 2.7 9,086 27.3 15
Black African 1.2 5,442 1.8 1,987 1.0 3,451 7.3 4
Black Caribbean 1.2 5,504 1.2 1,282 1.2 4,211 20.0 11
Black other 0.5 2,046 0.6 622 0.4 1,424 0.0 0
Mixed 1.9 8,448 1.9 2,122 1.8 6,322 7.3 4
Mixed White and Asian 0.5 2,049 0.5 566 0.4 1,483 0.0 0
Mixed White and Black African 0.2 801 0.2 221 0.2 580 0.0 0
Mixed White and Black Caribbean 0.5 2,205 0.5 528 0.5 1,676 1.8 1
Mixed other 0.8 3,394 0.7 807 0.8 2,583 5.5 3
White 88.6 400,935 88.4 96,878 88.6 304,029 49.1 27
White British 83.2 376,500 83.3 91,286 83.1 285,188 47.3 26
White Irish 1.3 5,962 1.6 1,791 1.2 4,170 0.0 0
White Gypsy or Irish Traveller 0.0 30 0.0 5 0.0 25 0.0 0
White other 4.1 18,443 3.5 3,796 4.3 14,646 1.8 1
Other 0.9 4,216 0.9 970 1.0 3,245 1.8 1
Arab 0.0 29 0.0 5 0.0 24 0.0 0
Any other 0.9 4,187 0.9 965 0.9 3,221 1.8 1
Unknown N/A* 60,723 N/A* 15,646 N/A* 45,015 N/A* 62

Download table data for ‘By ethnicity and sex’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity and sex’ (CSV)

Summary of School teacher workforce By ethnicity and sex Summary

The data shows that:

  • 75.6% of all school teachers in England were female
  • White people made up 88.4% of male teachers and 88.6% of female teachers
  • Asian people made up 5.2% of male teachers and 6.0% of female teachers
  • Black people made up 3.6% of male teachers and 2.7% of female teachers
  • people in the Mixed ethnic group made up 1.9% of male teachers and 1.8% of female teachers
  • White British women made up the biggest percentage of female teachers (83.1%), followed by those from the White Other (4.3%) and Indian (2.2%) ethnic groups
  • White British men made up the biggest percentage of male teachers (83.3%), followed by those from the White Other (3.5%) and Black African (1.8%) ethnic groups

5. By ethnicity and role

Percentages and headcount of school teachers, by ethnicity and role
Total Classroom teacher Assistant head teacher Deputy head teacher Head teacher
Ethnicity Total % Total Headcount Classroom teacher % Classroom teacher Headcount Assistant head teacher % Assistant head teacher Headcount Deputy head teacher % Deputy head teacher Headcount Head teacher % Head teacher Headcount
All 100.0 513,434 100.0 437,476 100.0 34,434 100.0 19,069 100.0 22,455
Asian 5.8 26,120 6.2 23,995 4.1 1,260 2.7 460 2.0 405
Bangladeshi 0.9 3,910 1.0 3,698 0.4 135 0.2 42 0.2 35
Chinese 0.3 1,110 0.3 1,072 0.1 21 0.1 10 0.0 7
Indian 2.1 9,502 2.2 8,506 1.9 570 1.3 222 1.0 204
Pakistani 1.6 7,151 1.7 6,619 1.1 327 0.6 106 0.5 98
Asian other 1.0 4,448 1.1 4,101 0.7 207 0.5 80 0.3 60
Black 2.9 12,992 3.1 11,745 2.4 723 1.6 276 1.2 248
Black African 1.2 5,442 1.3 5,065 0.8 237 0.5 82 0.3 57
Black Caribbean 1.2 5,504 1.3 4,812 1.3 392 0.9 149 0.7 150
Black other 0.5 2,046 0.5 1,867 0.3 94 0.3 44 0.2 40
Mixed 1.9 8,448 1.9 7,450 1.7 521 1.4 246 1.1 232
Mixed White and Asian 0.5 2,049 0.5 1,801 0.4 132 0.4 60 0.3 55
Mixed White and Black African 0.2 801 0.2 703 0.2 53 0.1 23 0.1 21
Mixed White and Black Caribbean 0.5 2,205 0.5 1,909 0.5 154 0.4 63 0.4 78
Mixed other 0.8 3,394 0.8 3,036 0.6 181 0.6 99 0.4 77
White 88.6 400,935 87.8 337,294 91.2 28,059 93.6 16,227 95.3 19,355
White British 83.2 376,500 82.1 315,623 86.8 26,697 89.7 15,540 91.8 18,639
White Irish 1.3 5,962 1.3 4,835 1.6 489 1.7 299 1.7 338
White Gypsy or Irish Traveller 0.0 30 0.0 24 0.0 3 0.0 3 0.0 0
White other 4.1 18,443 4.4 16,811 2.8 870 2.2 385 1.9 377
Other 0.9 4,216 1.0 3,814 0.7 208 0.7 122 0.4 71
Arab 0.0 29 0.0 27 0.0 2 0.0 0 0.0 0
Any other 0.9 4,187 1.0 3,787 0.7 206 0.7 122 0.4 71
Unknown N/A* 60,723 N/A* 53,177 N/A* 3,662 N/A* 1,739 N/A* 2,145

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:

  • White British people made up 91.8% of headteachers, 89.7% of deputy headteachers, 86.8% of assistant headteachers, and 82.1% of classroom teachers

  • the Arab, and White Gypsy or Irish Traveller ethnic groups had the lowest number of school teachers, both overall and in every role

  • the White British and White Irish ethnic groups were the only groups with a higher percentage of headteachers than deputy or assistant headteachers, or classroom teachers

6. By ethnicity and region

Percentages and headcount of school teachers, by ethnicity and region
All East Midlands East of England London (Inner) London (Outer) North East North West South East South West West Midlands Yorkshire and The Humber
Ethnicity All % All Headcount East Midlands % East Midlands Headcount East of England % East of England Headcount London (Inner) % London (Inner) Headcount London (Outer) % London (Outer) Headcount North East % North East Headcount North West % North West Headcount South East % South East Headcount South West % South West Headcount West Midlands % West Midlands Headcount Yorkshire and The Humber % Yorkshire and The Humber Headcount
All 100.00 513,434 100.00 43,654 100.00 59,681 100.00 27,703 100.00 51,951 100.00 24,113 100.00 68,260 100.00 83,285 100.00 48,208 100.00 57,172 100.00 49,408
Asian 5.80 26,120 4.70 1,762 3.90 2,050 14.60 3,618 14.80 6,798 1.00 215 3.50 2,159 3.60 2,676 0.80 356 9.17 4,349 5.00 2,138
Bangladeshi 0.90 1,110 0.30 93 0.70 344 6.30 1,570 2.20 996 0.10 23 0.30 191 0.30 202 0.10 33 0.80 391 0.30 110
Chinese 0.30 3,910 0.10 93 0.20 124 0.80 186 0.50 244 0.10 24 0.20 104 0.20 158 0.10 44 0.20 88 0.10 54
Indian 2.10 9,502 3.00 1,140 1.20 639 3.10 770 6.20 2,869 0.30 59 1.00 624 1.50 1,135 0.40 146 3.66 1,738 0.90 382
Pakistani 1.60 7,151 0.70 250 1.00 547 2.10 520 2.70 1,232 0.40 78 1.50 925 0.80 620 0.10 50 3.34 1,584 3.10 1,345
Asian other 1.00 4,448 0.60 240 0.80 396 2.30 572 3.20 1,456 0.10 30 0.50 314 0.80 562 0.20 83 1.15 548 0.60 246
Black 2.90 12,992 1.20 460 2.30 1,237 13.10 3,242 9.90 4,581 0.20 43 0.60 367 2.00 1,521 0.50 199 2.30 1,092 0.60 250
Black African 1.20 5,442 0.60 214 1.10 598 5.30 1,319 4.30 1,961 0.10 31 0.30 176 0.90 655 0.20 88 0.61 291 0.30 108
Black Caribbean 1.20 5,504 0.40 148 0.90 461 5.80 1,439 4.20 1,921 0.00 8 0.20 97 0.80 630 0.20 69 1.35 643 0.20 88
Black other 0.50 2,046 0.30 98 0.30 178 2.00 483 1.50 699 0.00 4 0.20 94 0.30 235 0.10 42 0.33 158 0.10 53
Mixed 1.90 8,448 1.40 512 1.80 947 5.20 1,289 4.10 1,880 0.60 134 1.10 660 1.50 1,146 1.10 459 1.84 874 1.30 547
Mixed White and Asian 0.50 2,049 0.40 139 0.50 266 0.90 231 0.80 389 0.20 43 0.30 178 0.40 297 0.40 146 0.44 208 0.40 151
Mixed White and Black African 0.20 801 0.10 39 0.20 79 0.50 135 0.40 187 0.10 20 0.10 68 0.20 116 0.10 38 0.12 57 0.10 61
Mixed White and Black Caribbean 0.50 2,205 0.40 153 0.40 226 1.40 343 1.00 447 0.10 21 0.30 157 0.30 233 0.30 111 0.73 344 0.40 169
Mixed other 0.80 3,394 0.50 182 0.70 376 2.30 580 1.90 857 0.20 49 0.40 257 0.70 500 0.40 163 0.56 264 0.40 165
White 88.60 400,935 92.30 34,554 91.40 48,559 64.80 16,083 68.90 31,728 98.00 21,426 94.60 58,934 92.30 68,932 97.40 41,110 84.12 39,905 92.80 39,705
White British 83.20 376,500 89.30 33,437 85.50 45,405 50.10 12,427 56.20 25,897 96.30 21,050 91.70 57,156 86.20 64,335 94.00 39,668 80.88 38,369 90.60 38,757
White Irish 1.30 5,962 0.70 242 1.30 698 2.90 730 2.80 1,300 0.70 159 1.50 954 1.20 898 0.70 303 0.85 405 0.60 273
White Gypsy or Irish Traveller 0.00 30 0.00 1 0.00 3 0.00 3 0.00 5 0.00 0 0.00 3 0.00 6 0.00 1 0.01 5 0.00 3
White other 4.10 18,443 2.30 874 4.60 2,453 11.80 2,923 9.80 4,526 1.00 217 1.30 822 5.00 3,693 2.70 1,138 2.37 1,126 1.60 671
Other 0.90 4,216 0.40 154 0.60 324 2.40 596 2.40 1,082 0.20 39 0.30 198 0.50 379 0.20 82 2.57 1,219 0.30 143
Arab 0.00 29 0.00 0 0.00 3 0.00 6 0.00 10 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 5 0.00 2 0.00 1 0.00 2
Any other 0.90 4,187 0.40 154 0.60 321 2.40 590 2.30 1,072 0.00 39 0.30 198 0.50 374 0.20 80 2.57 1,218 0.30 141
Unknown N/A* 60,723 N/A* 6,212 N/A* 6,564 N/A* 2,875 N/A* 5,882 N/A* 2,257 N/A* 5,942 N/A* 8,631 N/A* 6,002 N/A* 9,732 N/A* 6,625

Download table data for ‘By ethnicity and region’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity and region’ (CSV)

Summary of School teacher workforce By ethnicity and region Summary

The data shows that:

  • out of all regions in England, those with the highest percentage of Asian teachers were Outer London (14.8%), Inner London (14.6%), and West Midlands (9.2%)

  • Black people made up 13.1% of school teachers in Inner London and 9.9% in Outer London

  • people from the Bangladeshi ethnic group made up 6.3% of school teachers in Inner London

  • people from the Indian ethnic group made up 6.2% of school teachers in Outer London

  • White British people made up 96.3% of school teachers in the North East and 94.0% in South West

7. By ethnicity and sex (headteachers only)

Percentages and headcount of headteachers, by ethnicity and sex
Total Male Female Unknown
Ethnicity Total % Total Headcount Male % Male Headcount Female % Female Headcount Unknown % Unknown Headcount
All 100.0 22,455 100.0 7,212 100.0 15,235 100.0 8
Asian 2.0 405 1.7 111 2.1 292 50.0 1
Bangladeshi 0.2 35 0.2 15 0.1 20 0.0 0
Chinese 0.0 7 0.0 2 0.0 5 0.0 0
Indian 1.0 204 0.7 43 1.2 160 50.0 1
Pakistani 0.5 98 0.4 28 0.5 70 0.0 0
Asian other 0.3 60 0.4 23 0.3 37 0.0 0
Black 1.2 248 1.0 65 1.3 182 0.0 0
Black African 0.3 57 0.2 15 0.3 42 0.0 0
Black Caribbean 0.7 150 0.6 37 0.8 113 0.0 0
Black other 0.2 40 0.2 13 0.2 27 0.0 0
Mixed 1.1 232 1.0 66 1.2 165 0.0 0
Mixed White and Asian 0.3 55 0.4 24 0.2 31 0.0 0
Mixed White and Black African 0.1 21 0.1 8 0.1 13 0.0 0
Mixed White and Black Caribbean 0.4 63 0.2 15 0.5 63 0.0 0
Mixed other 0.4 77 0.3 19 0.4 58 0.0 0
White 95.3 19,355 96.0 6,219 95.0 13,135 50.0 1
White British 91.8 18,639 92.4 5,985 91.5 12,653 50.0 1
White Irish 1.7 338 1.7 112 1.6 226 0.0 0
White Gypsy or Irish Traveller 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
White other 1.9 377 1.9 122 1.9 255 0.0 0
Other 0.4 71 0.2 15 0.4 56 0.0 0
Arab 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0
Any other 0.4 71 0.2 15 0.4 56 0.0 0
Unknown N/A* 2,145 N/A* 735 N/A* 1,404 N/A* 6

Download table data for ‘By ethnicity and sex (headteachers only)’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity and sex (headteachers only)’ (CSV)

Summary of School teacher workforce By ethnicity and sex (headteachers only) Summary

The data shows that:

  • there were 22,455 headteachers, and 15,235 (67.8%) were female
  • 3.9% of female teachers and 5.8% of male teachers were in headteacher roles
  • there were more female headteachers than male headteachers in every ethnic group
  • 95.0% of female headteachers were White – of these, 91.5% were White British, 1.9% were from the White Other ethnic group, and 1.6% were White Irish
  • 96.0% of male headteachers were White – of these, 92.4% were White British, 1.9% were from the White Other ethnic group, and 1.7% were White Irish

8. Data sources

Source

Type of data

Administrative data

Type of statistic

Accredited official statistics

Publisher

Department for Education

Publication frequency

Yearly

Purpose of data source

The census, which runs each November, collects information from schools and local authorities on the school workforce in state-funded schools in England.

9. Download the data

School-teacher workforce - Spreadsheet (csv) 1 MB

This file contains the following: measure, time, time_type, ethnicity, ethnicity_type, geography, geography_code, geography_type, sex, grade, school_type, value, value_type, numerator, denominator, numerator_note and denominator_note.