More men are needed in the classroom, urges Teach First

Education charity Teach First is calling for more men to become teachers, as the latest figures show a significant gender gap in the profession.

The latest Government statistics reveal that just 26 per cent of teachers in England are men - accounting for 38 per cent of secondary teachers and only 15 per cent of primary school teachers. The share of male teachers has declined since 2010.

Teach First has revealed that the proportion of male participants on its most recent 2016 Leadership Development Programme was 30 per cent.

The charity is warning that the lack of men entering the profession represents a vast untapped resource, especially at a time when schools need to be recruiting many more teachers . Teach First say it's vital that the teaching profession reflects the makeup of classrooms, and that young people need access to committed, talented and knowledgeable individuals from a range of backgrounds.

Teach First has launched a new recruitment video featuring a male teacher and highlighting how he gains responsibility, the chance to take on a new challenge and builds a suite of new and valuable skills while in the classroom. Viewers are challenged to honestly answer the question "what did you do at work today?" to assess whether their current role is fully inspiring them and building their career skillset.

The organisation hopes the strong focus on personal development will position teaching as a prestigious option for those looking for their next step or seeking a portfolio career.

Teach First has introduced a new postgraduate qualification and enhanced its support structure for 2017 to keep its offer attractive in a competitive graduate jobs market.