Interest in Scottish schools has surged among teachers south of the Border following a pay deal, according to new figures.

An �800m package guaranteeing a 23% pay increase for all Scottish teachers was approved in January.

A teacher shortage has already caused recruitment problems for schools south of the border.

Unions warned in January that the Scottish pay and conditions deal could make matters worse.

Thousands of teachers will be recruited in Scotland

Now figures published by the General Teaching Council for Scotland show a significant rise in interest from those in England and Wales.

The number of inquiries from people interested in qualifying as a Scottish teacher rose from 1,593 in the first half of 2000 to 2,538 this year.

A total of 771 people asked about qualifying at a Scottish Teacher Education Institution this year, an increase of 223.

And there were 1,767 requests for Exceptional Admissions to the Register (EAR) application forms, compared to 1,055 in the first six months of 2000.

Reduce paperwork

These forms are for people who have qualified and worked outwith Scotland but now wish to teach in the country.

The figures emerged as Scottish Education Minister Jack McConnell launched the first ever nationwide drive to recruit more teachers.

The terms of the pay deal reached in January created a need for 4,000 new teachers, as well as additional support staff to help reduce the burden of paper work.

A Scottish Executive spokeswoman welcomed the increase in applications.

The figures cover the first six months of the year

She said: "We are keen to welcome people from Scotland and other parts of the UK to the teaching profession.

"We hope that the new advertising and recruitment campaign will also encourage an upsurge in interest in teaching and restore the status of the profession."

The Scottish deal means new teachers will start on �18,000 per annum.

Classroom teachers will be able to earn up to �35,000 a year - �5,000 more than they can earn in England without switching into management.

There is also a maximum 35-hour working week.

In January, both the National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) predicted that the deal would make it harder for English schools to attract teachers.