More and more students with top university degrees and results are choosing to pursue a career in education, new data from the Department of Education shows.

According to the annual Initial Teacher Training (ITT) census, one in six (17 per cent) teacher trainees has a first-class degree, which is the highest number ever recorded.

This fits in with the government’s wider strategy for transforming education by ensuring that high-quality teachers have expertise in their subject, as well as passion.

To get more of the “best and brightest” graduates interested in pursuing a career in teaching key subjects, a range of bursaries and scholarships are being offered, some worth up to £25,000 tax-free.

This is a key incentive, as studies have shown that financial incentives do have a positive effect in widening the teacher training pool of recruitment.

“It is great news that we continue to see the quality of new entrants into teaching increasing year on year, with levels of trainees holding a first-class degree at an all-time high,” commented Charlie Taylor, chief executive of the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL).

“We want the best and brightest teachers in our schools to ensure pupils have the right skills needed to succeed in life and to help the UK compete in the global economy - this is a vital part of our plan for education.”

He concluded by saying that research and evidence shows that quality teachers, time after time, make the “biggest difference” to how well students do at school and in exams.

“A key component of this is excellent subject knowledge,” Mr Taylor added. “That is why we are offering generous tax-free bursaries and prestigious scholarships to help us recruit the nation’s most talented graduates.”

The census also showed that more people are choosing to train to teach computing, with 519 postgraduate computer trainees recruited this year. This marks a massive 45 per cent increase on 2013’s figures.