§ Mr. AshdownTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evaluation studies will be carried out on the bursary schemes for initial teacher training in shortage subjects; what are his targets for the proportion of persons in receipt of such bursaries to take up a first appointment in the maintained sector; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldAn evaluation of the bursary scheme is being carried out by Bath university school of education as part of a review of the major Government initiatives introduced to combat teacher shortage. A summary of phase 1 of the review, which was completed this spring, will be published this month and a copy will be placed in the Library.
The evaluation confirmed that the bursary has made an important contribution to the increased numbers of students entering initial teacher training in the shortage subjects.
All those in receipt of the bursary have to sign an undertaking that they intend to teach in the maintained sector on qualification and we expect all those who satisfactorily complete their training to do so.