More teachers are coming forward

The number of people accepting places to train to be primary teachers is up 15% on this time last year.

And the rise for trainee secondary school teachers is 14%.

Attempts to encourage applications from maths graduates - who are in short supply in schools - seem to be paying off, with a 35% increase in that area.

The figures have been welcomed by school standards minister David Miliband.

"Recruitment to teacher training has already risen for three years in a row after almost a decade of decline," he said.

"These figures confirm that our measures to attract more people into the teaching profession are taking effect and that we are on the right track."

Shortages

The biggest increase in accepted places was in maths, where student teachers receive a 'golden hello' of �4,000.

Trainees for other shortage subjects, such as science, modern languages and IT also qualify for the payment, which is on top of a �6,000 training bursary given to all graduate trainee teachers.

The number of people accepting places to train as IT teachers also rose - up by 26%. Science trainees increased by 14%.

The figures - from the Graduate Teacher Training Registry - are interim.

Final numbers of recruits to teacher training courses for England for 2003/4 will be published in December.

The latest figures come at the same time as the launch of a new drive to recruit teachers, following on from the popular "Those who can, teach" campaign.

This campaign will target graduates who are dissatisifed with their present working lives.

Ralph Tabberer, the chief executive of the Teacher Training Agency, said: "This exciting campaign represents a change in direction.