Contact Sales
Access Education People

Education recruitment software: Why the sector needs its own recruitment tools

Hiring in education doesn’t just fill vacancies - it shapes futures. With government recruitment targets missed year after year and record numbers of teachers leaving the profession, the sector is under growing pressure to hire better, faster, and smarter.

Yet many schools and trusts are still using outdated or generic recruitment tools - or worse, manual processes that simply don’t scale. At a time when technology has transformed recruitment across other sectors, the recruitment in education sector can't afford to be left behind.

4 minutes

Written by Rich Newsome - Thought Leadership Expert.

Education’s recruitment crisis: a wake-up call

A middle-aged male head teacher in a suit sits at his desk with his hands on his temples, eyes closed in stress, in a school office with a whiteboard and shelves in the background.

In 2023, secondary teacher recruitment missed its government target by over 50%. Physics, computing, and design & technology roles were some of the hardest hit, with vacancies rising and applications falling.

Meanwhile, 40,000 teachers left the profession in just one year.

It’s not just about attracting new talent - retaining staff is just as challenging. Schools report mounting admin loads, inspection pressures, and inflexible working conditions as key reasons why even passionate educators are reconsidering their future.

In this climate, schools can no longer afford inefficient recruitment systems or outdated processes that put barriers in the way of great candidates. They need education recruitment software that’s purpose-built to support the unique demands of schools and trusts.

We've partnered with SchoolRecruiter!

Why generic recruitment tools fall short

Most commercial Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) were designed for corporate hiring teams - where roles are standardised, compliance is minimal, and recruitment is ongoing. But education is different.

In schools and trusts:

  • Compliance is non-negotiable - KCSIE, DBS checks, and safeguarding audits are critical
  • Timelines are tight - recruitment windows follow term cycles, not rolling vacancies
  • Budgets are under pressure - agency costs and advertising fees are rising
  • Teams are stretched - many HR leads manage payroll, policies, and onboarding too

Generic tools don’t adapt well to these realities – leading to clunky workflows, missed candidates, and compliance risks. This is where education recruitment software purpose-built for schools makes a transformative difference.

Candidates expect better

Today’s candidates - especially early-career teachers - expect simple, mobile-first application processes and timely communication. Unfortunately, many school job listings are buried on static websites or hidden behind paper forms.

With 73% of education professionals considered “passive candidates,” relying solely on job boards no longer cuts it. Your future team is on social media, browsing job alerts via email, or scrolling LinkedIn - not checking TES every week.

If your process isn’t built for this digital-first reality, your school risks losing top talent to faster-moving institutions. The right education recruitment software delivers a seamless, engaging candidate experience.

The power of multichannel and automation

Smart recruitment isn’t about doing more - it’s about working smarter.

With the right tools, you can:

  • Advertise across multiple channels automatically
  • Track where your best candidates are coming from
  • Engage both active and passive candidates with targeted outreach
  • Automate comms, shortlisting, scheduling, and onboarding tasks

Schools using modern, education-specific platforms have seen applications double in their first week and reduced their time-to-hire significantly. That’s not just efficient — it’s transformative.

From manual to modern: the path forward

The evolution is clear:

  1. Manual hiring: Paper forms, emails, spreadsheets - error-prone and time-intensive
  2. Generic ATS: A step up, but not built for schools' pace or compliance needs
  3. Education-specific systems: Designed for your roles, rules, and resources

With systems like SchoolRecruiter — now integrated with Access Education People — recruitment becomes part of your HR and payroll ecosystem, not a separate burden.

Integrated tools, designed for you

Access Education + SchoolRecruiter gives you:

  • A single place to manage recruitment, HR, onboarding, and payroll
  • Multichannel vacancy advertising powered by education expertise
  • In-platform compliance management (DBS, KCSIE, Right to Work)
  • Real-time analytics to inform better hiring decisions
  • A mobile-friendly, branded candidate experience that builds your reputation

You’re not just replacing a form – you’re empowering your people with a modern education applicant tracking system that works as hard as they do.

Take the lead in a changing landscape

As schools face rising recruitment pressures, falling application rates, and growing workload challenges, standing still is no longer an option.

With the right education recruitment software – built for the recruitment in education sector – you can reduce admin, save budget, improve compliance, and hire better people.

Book a walkthrough to see how Access Education and SchoolRecruiter can help your team.

Rich Newsome Portrait

By Rich Newsome

Thought Leadership Expert

Meet Rich Newsome, a thought leadership expert with a passion for education that stems from his background as a teacher. Committed to shedding light on the most significant issues in education, Rich goes above and beyond to provide schools with the guidance and support they need without the burden of extensive research.

Drawing from his firsthand experience, he brings the voices of the education sector to life, allowing those within schools to share their experiences, exchange ideas, and explore best practices.

As our in-house Content Manager, Rich is dedicated to creating a platform where the collective wisdom of educators can flourish, fostering a community that thrives on shared knowledge and innovation in the ever-evolving landscape of education.