Schools across Europe are facing a staffing crisis, with authorities cutting learning hours, increasing class sizes and lowering recruitment standards as they struggle to fill tens of thousands of vacant teaching posts at the start of the new academic year, an FT analysis shows.

Teaching unions warn that low pay and burnout caused by a range of factors, including fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic and stringent government oversight, are prompting thousands of staff to retire early or quit. Meanwhile, the profession is struggling to attract new entrants.

In five countries alone — Germany, Hungary, Poland, Austria and France — more than 80,000 teaching positions remain unfilled, according to government and teaching union estimates. Unions warn education quality will be eroded as a result.