The number of people applying to be teachers is down 7 per cent compared to June last year, latest figures show.

The data from admissions body Ucas shows that 36,870 people have applied to start teacher training in September 2018.

This is 2,900 fewer than the 39,770 who had applied by mid-June in 2017.

The figures come after DfE statistics released this morning revealed that the overall teacher numbers had fallen in 2017 for the first time in more than a decade.

And that the rate of teachers entering the profession is now equal to the number of teachers leaving - for the past six years there had been more people entering than leaving.

The Ucas numbers do show that the picture for 2018 may not be as bad as feared earlier in the year. In January, there were 29 per cent fewer applicants for teacher training than there have been in the previous January. 

Today’s statistics also show several individual subjects are faring worse than the average.

In maths, there have been 1,610 candidates given a place or conditional place, compared to 1,820 at this time last year, a drop of 11.5 per cent.

In physics, there have been 400 candidates placed or given a conditional place down 14.9 per cent on the 470 at the same stage last year.

And in chemistry, there have been 550 candidates placed or given a conditional place - down 11.3 per cent from 620 last year.