Teaching job roles are attracting a higher level of graduates than in the past, new figures have confirmed.

Data from the Department of Education (DfE) shows the proportion of people learning to be a teacher with top degrees rose to its highest ever level during 2011-12, with two-thirds of postgraduate trainees having a first or a 2:1.

According to the stats, 12 per cent of postgraduate trainees - more than 3,000 individuals - had a first-class degree, while the proportion of those with a 2:1 was 55 per cent, which equates to almost 15,000 future teachers.

The figures show that 32,900 trainee teachers completed their courses in the last academic year and of these, 27,144 were postgraduates.

It means that last year saw a three per cent rise in number of trainee teachers with the top two degree classes compared with the previous 12 months, but despite this, teaching unions believe the overall state of recruitment was still debatable with some schools facing possible shortages in some subjects.

Chris Keates of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers explained the increase in the proportion of highly-qualified trainee teachers began long ago and has little to do with the government's current recruiting schemes, saying the latest figures simply reflect a long-term trend. 

Ms Keates added preliminary figures for the the current year are suggesting a decrease in the number of applicants for teacher training places of around 15 per cent.

"Concerns expressed by teachers, school leaders and training providers that the teacher training system is heading towards crisis continue to be ignored by ministers," she said.

However, it appears that the perceived lack of candidates and high quality of entrants are combining to ensure that many newly-qualified teachers are getting jobs within six months of finishing their studies. Of those whose employment status was known, more than nine out of ten new teachers had secured a job by January 2012. This is a rise of five per cent on the 2010-11 group.