Classics Jobs in UK schools – some stats for 2025-2026
Each year I keep a record of the number, type and location of posts for Classics teachers, basing the figures on published adverts in the Times Educational Supplement, the Teacher Vacancies website run by the Department for Education and (occasionally) other sources, such as direct communication from a school. My key words are Classics, Latin and Greek. Details are collected from 1st September to 31st August.
Most of the schools which advertise in this way are secondary; a few are preparatory schools.
The total number of adverts for positions in 2025-6 was lower than it has been for a few years. People I spoke to seemed to think it was much lower, but in fact it wasn't that much lower than last year. The difference was that more jobs were advertised as part time or temporary, which I think, talking to teachers at various events, reflected a trend in downsizing Classics Departments in many schools.
The peak time for advertisements appearing was, as usual, late January to May.
All but a few of the schools wanted applicants to be able to teach Latin. The number of advertisements (last year’s total in brackets):
Private preparatory schools: 15 (19)
Private secondary schools (11-18 or 13-18): 90 (120)
State-maintained secondary schools: 38 (38)
Total: 143 (177)
A more detailed breakdown is given in Figure 1. A small number of schools re-advertised.
Type of school | Total | Part time | Temporary | Notes |
Private preparatory schools
| 15 | 1 | 1 maternity cover | 1 Latin & History |
Private secondary schools
| 81 | 17 | 16 maternity cover | 9 HODs 5 stated ‘grad trainee’ 1 Classical Civilisation 1 Latin + History / French |
Private International schools
| 9 | 0 |
| Brussels, Bucharest, Cairo, Dubai, Grand Cayman, Malawi 3 re-advertisements |
Grammar schools
| 9 | 1 | 3 maternity cover | 1 HOD 1 Classical Civilisation + History |
Comprehensive schools
| 29 | re 1: 4 |
| 4 HODs 1 Latin + French 1 Latin + German 3 Sixth Form Colleges – Classical Civilisation; Classical Civilisation + Philosophy; Classical Civilisation + English / Law |
Figure 1. Table showing further breakdown of stats for schools. (c) Steven Hunt.
The location of the schools in the UK where Classics jobs were advertised in 2025-6 is in Figure 2. The majority of schools where Classics is offered are located in London and the South-East.
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