The hidden crisis closing schools, cutting jobs, and reshaping teaching

This week, Dylan and Hayden dive into a topic that’s flying under the radar but changing the future of teaching forever.

UK birth rates have fallen to historic lows – and now schools are feeling the impact. From empty classrooms and school closures to teacher redundancies and disappearing job ads, this episode uncovers how a quiet demographic shift is creating a very loud crisis in education.

🔍 We unpack:

The huge drop in UK birth rate – and why it’s happening
Why schools across the country are merging, shrinking, or closing altogether
How fewer children means fewer teaching jobs - even if you're brilliant
Why a fall in teacher vacancies isn’t always a good sign
Our personal story

Whether you're a classroom teacher, a school leader, or just education-curious, this is a must-listen on where the system might be heading next.

📚 LINKS & SOURCES

ONS 2024 Birth Rate Statistics: www.ons.gov.uk
BBC Report on School Closures: bbc.co.uk/news/education
NEU Press Release on Redundancies: neu.org.uk
TES: “Why falling rolls could be the next big crisis” – tes.com

💬 Tell us your story!
Have you seen your school shrink, merge, or quietly lose staff? Drop us a message on Instagram or TikTok – or send in an anonymous story for a future episode.

📸 Instagram: @teachsleeprepeatpodcast
🎬 Tiktok: ⁠@teachsleeprepeatpodcast⁠

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