A surge in the number of recent graduates signing up to become teachers has helped the government in England meet crucial recruitment targets in subjects including maths and sciences for the first time this decade.

New figures from the Department for Education (DfE) showed an 11% increase in the number of teacher trainees this year compared with 2024, giving it the most buoyant recruitment figures since 2022.

The government had trimmed its targets for the numbers of teachers it predicts will be needed because of falling student numbers but there was still a surge in enrolments especially for primary school teachers. Low birthrates in England could lead to ‘closure of 800 primary schools by 2029’ Read more

Last year only 90% of the government’s target for primary teachers was reach

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