Career Teachers
Career Teachers is a UK-based specialist education recruitment agency supplying temporary, long-term, and permanent teaching and support staff to Primary, Secondary, SEND, and Early Years schools across London, Leeds, Leicester, and Sheffield. It operates as a brand within the Affinity Workforce Solutions portfolio, with 11–50 employees across four UK branches.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Career Teachers does
Career Teachers is a UK-based specialist education recruitment agency that supplies short-term, long-term, and permanent teaching and teaching-support staff to schools across Primary, Secondary, SEND, and Early Years phases. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in London, the company operates four physical branch offices (London, Leeds, Leicester, Sheffield) under a 360 Recruitment Consultant model in which consultants manage both school-client relationships and candidate delivery end-to-end within their territory. The firm also serves overseas-qualified teachers relocating to the UK from markets such as Australia and Canada.
The company's core technology is a web-based recruitment platform comprising an online job board with keyword/location/distance filtering, a candidate registration and CV-drop portal, an online timesheet portal, and an in-house compliance and quality-assurance tracking system integrated with the UK DBS Update Service for real-time enhanced DBS verification. The site is built on WordPress with the WP Job Manager plugin. Online Level 1 Safeguarding training is delivered via a partnership with HB Compliance, and DBS applications are processed through Security Watchdog Ltd's E-Bulk service.
Career Teachers generates revenue through three primary streams: a margin/markup on day or hourly rates charged to schools for temporary supply staff (the dominant stream); one-time permanent placement fees governed by a Permanent Workers Terms of Business agreement; and a Guaranteed Pay Scheme that secures 1–5 days per week of billable slots in exchange for candidate flexibility. A £250 Recommend-a-Friend voucher scheme provides supplementary affiliate referral revenue. Distribution is delivered via the branch-based inside-sales network, a self-serve online portal, Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Preferred Supplier framework access, and a Managed Service Provider (MSP) arrangement with Sheffield South East Trust. Since December 2023, Career Teachers has operated as a wholly owned brand within the Affinity Workforce Solutions (AWS) portfolio, retaining its own management team under Managing Director Stewart McCoy.
Career Teachers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Career Teachers
- Legal name
- Affinity Workforce Solutions Ltd
- Website
- https://careerteachers.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Career Teachers is a UK-based specialist education recruitment agency supplying temporary, long-term, and permanent teaching and support staff to Primary, Secondary, SEND, and Early Years schools across London, Leeds, Leicester, and Sheffield. It operates as a brand within the Affinity Workforce Solutions portfolio, with 11–50 employees across four UK branches.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Career Teachers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Recruitment Services
- NAICS
- Technical and Trade Schools (6115)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Direct Hire (Teachers/Administrators) (BPACAFAI)
Keywords
Where Career Teachers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Career Teachers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Temporary/Supply Staff Placement Fees: Career Teachers charges schools a margin/markup on the day rate or hourly rate paid to supply teachers, teaching assistants, nursery staff, and SEND specialists. Rolled-up holiday pay of 12.07% is included in candidate rates, with the agency retaining the spread between client billing rate and candidate pay rate.
- Permanent Placement Fees: One-time placement fees charged to schools when a candidate is placed into a permanent teaching or support role (e.g., Deputy SENDco at £35,000-£39,000, Head of HR at £52,169-£57,660, School Business Manager at £38,220-£41,771). Governed by Permanent Workers Terms of Business.
- Guaranteed Pay Scheme Revenue: Career Teachers offers a Guaranteed Pay Scheme guaranteeing supply teachers 1-5 days of pay per week in exchange for flexibility, securing consistent revenue from schools for those guaranteed slots.
- Affiliate/Referral Revenue: Recommend-a-Friend scheme pays £250 in vouchers to existing candidates who refer teachers or teaching assistants who register and complete a minimum number of working days (10 or 20 days depending on role).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Supply Teacher day rate range (UK-wide) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Teaching Assistant day rate range |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Early Years / Nursery staff rates |
| Other | Annual | Permanent placement salary bands (school hires) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guaranteed Pay Scheme |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Career Teachers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Career Teachers is a specialist UK education recruitment agency that sources and places short-term, long-term, and permanent teaching and support staff — including qualified teachers, teaching assistants, nursery practitioners, and SEND specialists — into primary, secondary, SEND, and early years schools across the UK. The company operates a branch-based 360 recruitment model and earns margin on the spread between school billing rates and candidate pay rates for temporary supply placements, plus one-time fees for permanent hires.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Supply/Contract Teaching Staff Placement
- Permanent Teaching Job Placement
- Managed Service Provider (MSP) Partnership
- Early Career Teacher (ECT) Programme
- Guaranteed Pay Scheme
- Recommend a Friend Referral Scheme
- SEND Specialist Recruitment
- Early Years and Nursery Staffing
Quantifiable outcome
- 3 years running on The Sunday Times Best Places to Work list (2024, 2025, 2026)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Career Teachers
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Career Teachers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature5 records
Career Teachers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Affinity Workforce Solutions (AWS)flagshipCareer Teachers is a wholly owned subsidiary/brand within the Affinity Workforce Solutions portfolio, sitting alongside three other specialist education recruitment brands. The acquisition cements AWS' position as one of the largest providers in the education recruitment sector. Career Teachers operates as a separate brand under its own experienced management team headed by Managing Director Stewart McCoy. Staff access best-practice sharing and specialist support from the wider AWS group. AWS CEO Esme Bianchi-Barry leads the parent organisation.
- Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC)coreCareer Teachers is regularly audited by REC and has been awarded "REC Education Audited" status, recognising compliance with industry standards for education recruitment. The audit covers the full recruitment process and continual monitoring of staff provided to schools. REC audits underpin the company's credibility and compliance credentials.
- Crown Commercial Service (CCS)coreCareer Teachers is on the CCS Preferred Suppliers List for the supply teachers and temporary staff agreement. This means the company adheres to strict recruitment criteria laid down in the CCS framework, providing independent assurance of high standards and enabling public sector schools to procure via the framework.
- Security Watchdog LtdcoreSpecialist partner that submits Career Teachers' Enhanced DBS applications directly to the Disclosure and Barring Service using E-Bulk, a secure online service. This partnership enables rapid, secure DBS processing for all candidates.
- Sheffield South East TrustcoreCareer Teachers holds a Managed Service Provider (MSP) partnership with Sheffield South East Trust, providing direct access to placements within the trust's network of forward-thinking schools. This partnership allows Career Teachers to secure consistent work for Early Career Teachers and other candidates and help them transition into long-term or permanent roles. Includes placements such as Wybourn Community Primary & Nursery School.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Career Teachers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Reed Education: Education recruitment arm of Reed, a large UK generalist staffing group. Serves the same schools and candidates as Career Teachers but as part of a much broader portfolio spanning multiple sectors.
- Hays Education: Education division of Hays, a global staffing incumbent. Overlaps with Career Teachers on teacher and support staff placement but operates within a vastly larger multi-sector recruitment business.
Direct peers
- SupplyDesk: UK education recruitment agency focused on supply teaching, TAs, and SEND staffing with a digital-led delivery model. Competes for the same schools and candidate pool with comparable day-rate structures.
- Teaching Personnel: UK-wide education recruitment specialist placing teachers, TAs, and SEND staff into primary, secondary, and SEND settings. Closely comparable in branch footprint, candidate supply model, and school client base.
- Protocol Education: One of the UK's largest dedicated education recruitment agencies covering supply, permanent, and SEND staffing across primary, secondary, and SEND schools. Operates a multi-branch model serving schools and MATs with very similar service lines to Career Teachers.
- Academics Ltd: UK education recruitment agency covering supply teaching, permanent, and support staff placements across primary, secondary, and SEND. Directly competes in the same branch-based service model and school segments.
- Engage Education: UK specialist education recruitment agency supplying teachers, support staff, and SEND professionals to schools and MATs. Operates a branch-based model directly comparable to Career Teachers across primary, secondary, and SEND.
- Aspire People: Education recruitment specialist with national coverage of supply, permanent, and SEND staffing. Directly comparable in service mix and target school segments, with overlapping branch geographies.
Emerging players
- Zen Educate: Online-first marketplace for supply teachers and school staff, removing agency margin by connecting schools directly with candidates. An emerging alternative model that competes on price and speed with traditional agencies like Career Teachers.
Others
- Affinity Workforce Solutions: Parent group and holding company of Career Teachers, operating three other specialist education recruitment brands. Comparable as the strategic context and shared-platform peer within which Career Teachers competes for internal resources and cross-brand contracts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Career Teachers social profiles
Digital presenceCareer Teachers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Career Teachers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Career Teachers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Career Teachers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Career Teachers
What does Career Teachers do?
Career Teachers is a specialist UK education recruitment agency that sources and places short-term, long-term, and permanent teaching and support staff — including qualified teachers, teaching assistants, nursery practitioners, and SEND specialists — into primary, secondary, SEND, and early years schools across the UK. The company operates a branch-based 360 recruitment model and earns margin on the spread between school billing rates and candidate pay rates for temporary supply placements, plus one-time fees for permanent hires.
Is Career Teachers a public or private company?
Career Teachers is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Career Teachers founded?
Career Teachers was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Career Teachers based?
Career Teachers is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Career Teachers make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Temporary/Supply Staff Placement Fees are the primary driver. The others are permanent Placement Fees, guaranteed Pay Scheme Revenue and affiliate/Referral Revenue.
Who are Career Teachers's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Reed Education and Hays Education. Direct peers are SupplyDesk, Teaching Personnel, Protocol Education, Academics Ltd, Engage Education and Aspire People. Zen Educate is listed as an emerging player. Affinity Workforce Solutions is listed as an others.
Does Career Teachers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Career Teachers.
What industry is Career Teachers in?
Career Teachers's product category is Education Recruitment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAFAI, Education Direct Hire (Teachers/Administrators). Its NAICS code is 6115 and its SIC code is 7361.