Across the North East of England, schools are struggling to fill classrooms with qualified teachers. Over the past five years, the number of trainee teachers in the region has fallen by more than 50%, leaving headteachers like Russ Atkinson from Duke’s Secondary School in Ashington admitting that recruitment is “quite tough, in all honesty.”

Yet amid the shortage, a new group of recruits is quietly reshaping the profession: career changers — often over 40, looking for purpose and impact in the second half of their working lives.

Why Are Teachers Leaving?

Workload, pressure, and burnout continue to drive teachers away.
Former teacher Lucy Fenny spent 12 years in Teesside’s primary schools before leaving to start her own beauty business. “It became less about the children and more about league tables,” she said. “The expectations were far too high.”

She isn’t alone. A survey from the National Education Union found that one in three teachers have considered quitting because of workload and stress. Long hours, constant scrutiny, and the emotional demands of managing large classes are taking their toll.

A Different Kind of Recruit

But there is hope — and it comes from an unexpected source.
Government data shows that over-40s are now the fastest-growing group of trainee teachers. People like Amelia Joicey, who swapped her career in museums and libraries for a classroom in Ashington, are finding new meaning in teaching.

“Covid really made me reassess my priorities,” Amelia explained. “It was quite a brave, nervous thing, but luckily my family was supportive.”
Though she admits the work is exhausting, she also says, “It’s really full-on, but never dull. The kids are some of the loveliest people I’ve ever met — it’s inspiring.”

Rethinking Who We See as a “New Teacher”

Former journalist Lucy Kellaway, who retrained as a teacher at 58 and went on to found the charity Now Teach, argues that government recruitment campaigns are missing a trick.

“Traditionally we’ve focused on graduates straight out of university,” she said. “But our working lives are now so long that one career isn’t enough — we’ve neglected that older slice of the population.”

Kellaway believes the government should actively promote teaching as a second career, especially as mid-lifers bring valuable experience, resilience, and emotional maturity to the classroom.

The Benefits of Career Changers in Schools

Career changers can bring:

• Real-world experience, helping students see how subjects connect to life beyond school.
• Patience and perspective, honed through years in other industries.
• Renewed enthusiasm, motivated by purpose rather than just pay.

These qualities can be particularly powerful in schools struggling with morale or behavioural challenges.

Can It Work?

Encouraging more adults to retrain won’t be an overnight fix. Training routes must be flexible enough for people with families, mortgages, and financial responsibilities. Schools also need to create environments where teachers — new and experienced — can thrive without burning out.

But as people like Amelia Joicey show, it’s never too late to teach.
With the right support, a generation of career changers could bring new energy, insight, and inspiration to the classroom — just when education needs it most.