We have published our annual registration report for 2026, looking at the data from the Register of Teachers and developing insights into the teaching profession in Scotland.
The report looks at data from the registration year 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
While the Register remains broadly stable, we have identified 4 areas which require continued monitoring:
- a gradual decline in registrants and registrations, with a 1.64% decrease in registrants and 2.44% decline in registrations since 31 March 2023
- subject-specific pressures in secondary education, with notable declines in registrations in Computing Science, German and Economics
- fewer transitions from provisional to full registration, with an 18% reduction from 2023
- issues affecting early-career retention
The data from this year’s report reinforces our 5 recommendations to improve teacher supply from last year.
- Focus on teacher retention.
- Increase teacher mobility.
- Hold firm on high teaching standards.
- Understand our system’s nuanced requirements and where the gaps are.
- Deeply consider system structures.
Commenting on the publication of the report Victoria Smith, Strategic Director at GTC Scotland said:
“The data from this report points to the need for a national teacher supply strategy that provides a coherent, evidence-led plan for anticipating the teachers Scotland’s education system will need, where they will be needed, and how they will be recruited, supported and retained.
“This work must be embedded within wider education reform, ensuring that workforce planning is not reactive or fragmented, but forward-looking, strategic, and aligned with the needs of learners, schools and communities.”
Key data from the report
- 80,560 individual registrants on the Register with 92,419 individual category registrations.
- Most registrants are under 46, with 59% under 46, 24% aged 46 to 55, and 16% over 55.
- 63,470 registrants self-declared as female and 18,296 self-declared as male.
- 66,176 registrants had been registered for 5 or more years (82% of the Register), while 14,384 (18% of the Register) had been registered for 1 to 4 years.
- Registration applications have reduced from both applicants who qualified in Scotland (8% reduction compared with last year) and outside (36% reduction compared to last year).
Read Registration report: data and insight 2025 to 2026
Analysing the data
We take a closer look at what the data tells us about the teaching profession in our blogs:
