The students will be given extra training in the evenings

The Teach First project was launched at Christ Church University College in Canterbury, Kent, on Monday.

The college aims to recruit 200 graduates each year to become teachers in "challenging" inner London schools.

The students will undergo six weeks of intensive teacher training over the summer before starting in the classroom in September.

Additional evening training and support will be given by tutors throughout the year.

They are the sort of people who can succeed in the classroom Brett Wigdortz, chief executive of Teach First

The recruits will be given qualified teacher status at the end of their first year, endorsed by the Teacher Training Agency.

They would normally have to complete a year-long post-graduate course.

Brett Wigdortz, chief executive of Teach First, said he was confident the students would cope in the classroom.

He said: "Of the 1,300 people who applied, we selected about 200 to come this summer.

"We picked them based on their leadership ability, their respect, their humility, their empathy, their communication skills, so they are the sort of people who can succeed in the classroom.

'Intense' programme

"I think the training programme will be intense but will teach them the skills to do that."

The students, who will receive training and mentoring from the scheme's business sponsors in their second year, will then be free either to continue teaching or go into fast-track career training.

Professor Sonia Blandford, Dean of Education at Canterbury Christ Church, said: "There are three major differences, firstly that they are supported by a summer institute.

"Secondly that they have been recruited from the top universities within the country, Oxford and Cambridge and the like.

"Thirdly, in the second year of the programme they will be supported in their internship into business."