The government is looking to encourage the 'best and brightest' students into teaching some of the subjects most in need of new skills, it has been announced. 

Leaders are introducing a new tax free bursary for graduates in specialist subjects in order to give them an attractive reason to enrol on teacher training courses after they have finished university degrees.

For example, physics graduates with a first class degree will be offered £30,000 tax-free to take a teacher training course next year. It is hoped that the fact this equates to the same take-home pay as a job with a £40,000 salary will mean more highly skilled young people opting for teaching rather than other career paths. 

On the whole, this project is designed to bridge the skills gap that has been bemoaned by headteachers, who have said that they struggle to recruit highly qualified teachers for some of the more specialist subjects in their schools, with maths and physics in particular struggling at present. 

Other subjects will also see the bursaries that are offered to graduates increasing. Maths, chemistry, computing and languages trainees will all be eligible for bursaries of up to £25,000 if they should choose to enrol on a teacher training course. 

Schools minister Nick Gibb said today: “To ensure we can continue to attract the best and brightest graduates into the profession, with the potential to be excellent teachers in these key subjects, we are continuing to offer a wide range of bursaries and scholarships. 

“These new financial incentives will give more talented people the opportunity to become teachers so they can inspire even more young people to achieve their full potential.”

As well as improving what can be earned by those who have a first-class honours degree, Mr Gibb said that those with a 2:1 or a 2:2 will be able to earn more for the first time. The cap for those with a 2:2, for example, is rising from £15,000 at the moment to £25,000.