Supply work is stopping teachers leaving education altogether, new research reveals

Many supply teachers and teaching assistants are staying in education because of the flexibility supply work offers, according to new research from Affinity Workforce Solutions.

The survey, carried out in the summer term, recorded responses from hundreds of candidates across the company’s education brands. It found that 83% of candidates plan to stay in education over the next 12 months. For almost a quarter of candidates (23%), supply work is the reason they remain in the profession at all – without it, they said they would leave education altogether. The findings suggest supply work isn’t just a flexible way of working, but for many, the thing that’s keeping them teaching.

Satisfaction with the day-to-day experience of supply work is similarly strong. 98% of candidates said they enjoy their job, and 97% said supply gives them the flexibility they want.

The results also challenge the outdated perception of supply work as a fallback option, showing instead a workforce actively choosing flexibility on their own terms. Over half of respondents (54%) cited work-life balance as their main reason for moving into supply teaching, while more than a quarter (28%) pointed to family commitments. Almost all candidates (98%) said supply work gives them sufficient time for their personal life.

When asked what they would tell a friend considering supply work, candidates pointed to flexibility around family and caring responsibilities (73%), the ability to keep teaching without the pressure of a permanent role (44%), and greater control over their working hours and days (61%).

Esme Bianchi-Barry, CEO of Affinity Workforce Solutions, said:

“These results tell us something important – supply work isn’t a compromise, it’s a genuine career choice, and for many, it’s what’s keeping them in education at all. Teachers and support staff are telling us they want flexibility, control over their working lives, and the ability to keep doing the job they love without it costing them everything else.  Our role is to make sure that choice comes with the same level of support, training and care as any permanent position. When we get that right, everyone benefits – our candidates, the schools they work in, and the children they teach.”

Affinity Workforce Solutions was recognised for the third consecutive year in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work list in 2026, in the Medium Organisation category.

Affinity Workforce Solutions provides recruitment, compliance and workforce solutions to schools, multi-academy trusts, colleges and training providers across the UK. Its brands include Career Teachers, CER Education, Monarch Education, The Protocol Group and Affinity Partnerships. CEO Esme Bianchi-Barry.