Teach First is top graduate recruiter

The charity is to recruit and train 1,261 graduates this year, while 1,000 are set to take up teaching posts in areas of high social deprivation in September. Since 2003, 4,000 graduates have been placed by the charity.

The growth places the charity as the number one graduate recruiter and fastest growing graduate recruiter in the UK according to market researchers High Fliers Research. By 2015 Teach First aims to recruit 2,000 potential teachers.

The charity estimates more than 750,000 children have been taught by its teachers in schools across England and Wales where more than half of all pupils comes from the poorest 30 per cent of UK families.

Acting chief executive of Teach First John Colenutt said: “There is much more to do. While we have seen change for some pupils across some schools, all too often, if you grow up in a low-income community in the UK you are still less likely to do well at school, find a decent job and lead a happy, healthy life.

“It is hugely encouraging to know that more graduates than ever consider committing themselves to solving this problem and step into a positive and worthwhile career choice. A great teacher plays a critical role in helping young people secure a brighter future.”

Further figures from Teach First show 32 per cent of new trainees are the first from their family to go to university and 23 per cent were eligible for free school meals when they were children.

The figures also show that 15 per cent are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, compared to eight per cent of other trainee teachers.