7-year high in teaching recruits

Recruitment to teacher training has hit a seven-year high, according to official figures today, but the growth achieved by a raft of government incentives has slowed.

Final statistics for this year's training courses in England show there were nearly 29,000 entrants, more than any year since 1994 and up five per cent on last year.

But the year before, government initiatives, including "golden hellos" and training salaries worth up to £10,000, resulted in an eight per cent growth. Although this year's recruitment target for primary school trainees has been met, secondary targets - the area of greatest shortage - look certain to be missed again.

Senior government sources say nevertheless that the rate of increase over the past two years represents remarkable progress, and point out that secondary recruitment targets are "very demanding".

Education Secretary Estelle Morris said today's figures showed the Government's strategy for recruiting teachers was working.