Levelling up education across the UK is one of this Government's priorities, and the recruitment and training of more teachers is one of key ways to achieve this.
As a mother and an MP, I know that teacher quality is the single biggest determinant of a pupil’s success, and I believe we need to ensure that we continue to attract the best teachers to give every child the opportunity to fulfil their potential.
That is why the Government are investing £300 million in attracting new, high-quality teachers, including bursaries of £15,000 for those teaching languages, geography, design, and technology, and £10,000 for biology teachers – as well as offering existing teachers access to free leadership qualifications.
This follows an announcement by the Prime Minister last week that teachers of maths, physics, chemistry and computing in the first five years of their careers will receive salary boosts of up to £3,000 – to support the recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in these subjects.
Applications for teacher training open today (Tuesday 12 October) through the department’s new Apply service, which was designed to streamline the application process and help prospective teachers find the right course for them.
This investment will ensure that we continue to attract and develop the world-leading teachers needed to help students to thrive in the years to come.