27th November 2009 9:00
By Blue Tutors
This week the BBC reported that the number of people joining teacher training courses in England this year exceeded government targets for the first time. The Training and Development Agency for Schools reported that it had met or exceeded its targets, even in maths which is commonly undersubscribed.
They said that this trend is due in part to the recession, which has encouraged many well qualified graduates into the field of teaching, along with many who have left city jobs in order to pursue a career in teaching. They also cited the ‘swift, targeted interventions’ that allowed them to make use of the economic conditions facing graduates and city-leavers. TDA chief executive Graham Holley said: “Considering that we have not met the challenging maths target alone before, this is a monumental achievement. The recession has, of course, played a part in these excellent results.”
The agency also reported its intention to cut bursaries for trainee teachers in the most popular subjects, claiming that they needed to respond proportionally to the strength of the market. It is cutting incentives for biology, languages and music from£9,000 to £6,000, whilst bursaries for art, business studies, dance and drama are being cut from £6000 to £4000. This move will be unpopular with trainees, but the agency defended the move, arguing that it would be irresponsible to spend public funds on a level of incentives which are no longer necessary.