GTC Scotland publishes registration report 2025 and makes recommendations to improve teacher supply

We have published our latest report on the data and insights from the Register of Teachers, covering the registration year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, and used our data to shape 5 key recommendations to improve teacher supply.

The report includes information on registrant sex and age, registration category and status, the Standard for Headship and Professional Update.

Victoria Smith, Strategic Director, GTC Scotland, said:

“Keeping the public Register of Teachers and setting the standards for entry to it and to remain on it, are duties placed on GTC Scotland by law. Our data is an important contribution to understanding factors affecting teacher supply.  

“By looking closely at this data, we can share insights with Government, MSPs and stakeholders to inform strategic policy and decision making.”

Read the registration data report

Recommendations to improve teacher supply

We have a legal role to advise Scottish Ministers on teacher supply and have used our data to shape 5 key recommendations. These are:

1. Focus on teacher retention

Our early insights suggest teachers are leaving the Register sooner than expected. Addressing the reasons why this is happening is critical to keeping more teachers in the profession and making it a more appealing career choice.

2. Increase teacher mobility

Supporting teachers to gain extra qualifications and add registrations can help meet the needs of the education system and open-up career opportunities.

3. Hold firm on high teaching standards

Experience from other countries shows that quick fixes, such as creating new entry routes or lowering entry requirements, can backfire. They reduce the status of teaching and make it less appealing, which only makes supply problems worse. 

4. Understand our system’s nuanced requirements and where the gaps are

Our education system needs to understand which teachers are needed, where and when, and teachers need to know where the jobs are. To do this, we must urgently improve how we collect and share data, using targeted, national communication channels.

5. Deeply consider system structures

We need to think carefully about things like flexible working, time for personal development and support for career progression to enhance the attractiveness and diversity of the profession.

Key data from the report

On 31 March 2025, there were:

• 81,148 individual registrants on the Register
• 93,262 individual category registrations.  

Number of registrants who hold registration in each registration category:

• 41,531 Primary Education.

• 37,429 Secondary (Subject) Education.

• 716 Additional Support Needs.

• 3,654 Further Education.

• 246 registrations in historical registration categories that are valid but no longer in active use.

Number of registrations per registrant

Some individuals hold registration in more than one category, for example Primary Education teachers who are also registered in the Secondary (Subject) Education category, and teachers of languages who are registered in Secondary French and Secondary German.

• 70,773 registrants hold 1 registration (87.21% of registrations). 

• 8,926 registrants hold 2 registrations (11% of registrations). 

• 1,267 registrants hold 3 registrations (1.56% of registrations). 

• 182 registrants hold 4 or more registrations (0.22% of registrations). 

Teachers share the reasons they leave the Register

Approximately 5% of registrants choose to leave the Register each year. We contact them to ask them to provide information about why they have chosen to do so.

This registration year, 4,272 teachers left the Register and 738 submitted survey responses, representing 17.28% of all individuals leaving the Register in this period. 

• 63% of those who responded had retired
• 21% noted other reasons, with the most common cited being:  
  
  • 35 lack of support
  • 34 problems with securing a post as their reason
  • 29 noted the effect of workload or unnecessary bureaucracy on their decision
  • 26 pupil behaviour, violence and/or additional support needs  
  • 10 respondents referred to bullying from colleagues or leadership

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