§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many applications have been received for courses of postgraduate initial teacher training commencing in September; and how many had been received at the same stage(a) in 1999 and (b) in 1997, broken down in each case into those applying by subject for secondary training, separately identifying those applying for maths, foreign languages, science and technology; and if he will list the Government's targets for recruitment for those subjects for September. [131676]
663W
§ Ms Estelle MorrisTargets for 2000–01 for England are given in the table.
Number Mathematics 1,850 English and Drama 2,160 Science 2,690 Modern Foreign Languages 2,050 Technology 2,000 History 900 Geography 1,090 PE 1,200 Art 850 Music 630 RE 665 Other 330 Margin for flexibility 200 Total 16,615 Notes:
1. Targets are for undergraduate combined with postgraduate.
2. The margin for flexibility is equivalent to the provision the Teacher Training Agency had last year to "vire" places between secondary subjects within certain parameters, but is now given explicitly.
Source:
Department for Education and Employment
Applications for postgraduate initial teacher training courses are only available on an England and Wales basis. Latest available figures for secondary teacher training by subject together with comparative figures for the previous year and 1997 are given in the table.
19 July 1997 17 July 1999 15 July 2000 Mathematics 1,289 1,345 1,292 English and Drama 2,829 2,694 2,756 Science 2,738 2,868 2,907 Modern Foreign Languages 2,275 1,967 2,282 Technology 1,275 1,186 1,319 History 1,864 1,580 1,567 Geography 1,082 1,029 995 PE 1,339 1,366 1,481 Art 1,341 1,124 1,190 Music 494 562 548 RE 732 704 653 Other 578 511 473 Total 17,836 16,936 17,463 Note:
The above figures are for applications as entered on the GTTR computer system.
Source:
Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR).
The number of trainees recruited onto mathematics postgraduate initial teacher training courses declined between 1994–95 and 1998–99, and there was a similar decline in the number of trainees recruited onto science postgraduate initial teacher training courses between 1996–97 and 1998–99. In October 1998 'golden hello' incentives were announced for teacher trainees taking a postgraduate certificate of education in mathematics or science. Such trainees received £2,500 during their training and a further £2,500 on going on to take up a relevant teaching post. Recruitment to these subjects in 1999 was up on the previous year.
664WMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 30 March 2000 that £6,000 training salaries would be introduced for postgraduate trainees starting initial teacher training courses from September 2000. New style 'golden hello' incentives of £4,000 were announced for postgraduate trainees in mathematics, science, modern foreign languages, information technology and design and technology, who successfully complete their induction and go on to take up a relevant teaching post. Since the announcement, postgraduate application figures for secondary initial teacher training as provided by GTTR are 15 per cent. higher for mathematics, 21 per cent. higher for science, 61 per cent. higher for modern foreign languages and 53 per cent. higher for technology than for the same period from the end of March to July last year. Applications for postgraduate secondary subjects taken together are 38 per cent. higher than for the same period last year from the end of March to July last year.