Drive for career-change teachers

The campaign focuses on the excitement of working with children

A campaign to attract more graduates to teaching in England promotes the excitement of working with children.

It follows the successful "Use Your Head" campaign of last year. Officials say that led to a 10% rise in inquires about teacher training.

Figures for 2003-4 showed a 50% rise in the number of people training compared with five years earlier.

Organisers say the campaign came from talking to teachers and head teachers about why they liked their profession.

New adverts with slogans such as "Physicists. Discover new energy sources" and "Linguists. Would you like to learn new words?", target people with specialisms in short supply at secondary school.

More people have turned to teaching in recent years and there is now a surplus of primary school teachers.

The Teacher Training Agency believes there is a growing trend for people to change careers to become teachers.

The latest figures of new entrants to teaching show that 38% are over 30.

Exciting

The agency believes this has been helped by the development of a variety of routes into teaching.

Many career-changers choose to learn about teaching on the job and are attached to a school from day one.

Mary Doherty, from the TTA, said: "With a teaching workforce approaching the size of the population of Liverpool, we need to ensure we attract more graduates, especially those interested in teaching maths, science and modern languages in secondary schools.

"Our new advertising features children - the most exciting people in the world - in their schools.

"It shows the fundamental truth about teaching: that working with children brings enjoyment and rewards, every day."

Education Secretary Charles Clarke has announced that the TTA will play a lead role in plans to improve the professional development of teachers once they are in post.

He said the agency would work to ensure good standards were followed across the country and guide schools and local authorities about how best to help teachers to build on their skills.