Teacher trainee numbers fall by nearly seven per cent

Figures released from the admissions service Ucas has shown that the number of people training to be teachers has dropped by 6.9 per cent.

The data shows that overall, in the 2016 UCAS Teacher Training cycle, applications were received from 46,000 applicants compared with 47,200 in 2015.

In addition to this, nearly 26,000 people were accepted to teacher training programmes in England and Wales in 2016, a decrease of 6.9 per cent on 2015.

There were 41,400 applicants from England in 2016, a decrease of 1,000 compared to 2015.

Of these applicants, 23,500 were placed in 2016, compared to 25,300 in 2015, meaning fewer applicants secured a place in the 2016 cycle.

Applications to primary programmes at higher education providers decreased by 6,500 applications in the 2016 cycle, with 24,600 applications compared to 31,100 in 2015.

The number of acceptances also decreased to 5,300 from 6,900, meaning applicants were less likely to be placed in the 2016 cycle.