The government has announced new financial incentives worth up to £31,000 tax-free for trainee teachers in maths, physics, chemistry and computing, in an effort to tackle long-standing recruitment challenges in England’s schools.
From next year, bursaries and scholarships will be available to those training through both school-based and university routes, with the Department for Education hoping to attract more people with science and engineering backgrounds into the classroom.
Trainees in further education will also be eligible for up to £31,000 in shortage subjects, £10,000 for English, and £15,000 for those training to work with children who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
For the first time, Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeships will receive the same level of funding as other training routes, with schools able to claim up to £29,000 to train apprentices in maths, chemistry, physics and computing.
These subjects have faced persistent teacher shortages in recent years.
Recruitment data shows the Department for Education filled just 62% of its target for secondary trainees last year, although projections from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) suggest this could rise to 85% for 2025/26.
Jack Worth, education workforce lead at NFER, said bursaries play a crucial role in boosting recruitment.
“Our research has shown bursaries are very effective for recruiting more teachers and retaining additional teachers long-term, particularly in shortage subjects such as physics and maths,” he said.
“This announcement could go a long way towards helping the government meet its pledge to recruit and retain 6,500 additional teachers.”
