Applications have risen from would-be secondary teachers in almost every subject over the past two years. Religious education is the one exception. It has seen a 10 per cent fall in applications this year, possibly because of the continuing debate over the wisdom of expanding the faith-school sector.

English seems to have benefited not only from the training grant but from being included, in early 2001, in the list of subjects that earn trainees a “golden hello”. Applications this year are nearly 700 above this time last year and some 72 per cent above two years ago. By contrast, applications to teach modern foreign languages have risen by only 19 per cent over the past two years. This is the smallest increase of any of the main national curriculum subjects.

There is better news for mathematics and the sciences, since they have both enjoyed a healthy rise in applications of between 40 and 50 per cent. Applications from biologists have barely increased, but chemistry and physics courses are proving more popular.

Interestingly, some of the largest percentage rises have been in information technology, a relatively new subject where the number of new graduates has been rising fast, and business studies, where part of the increase may have been due to the economic slowdown of the past 18 months.

Nevertheless, some “shortage” subjects, particularly mathematics and languages, may miss their recruitment targets again this year. It may be time for the Government to increase the training grant, which has remained at pound;6,000 for two years - at least in line with teachers’ pay rises.

However, it is the level of confidence in the economy that may yet determine how competitive teaching appears in the short term.

John Howson John Howson is a visiting professor at Oxford Brookes University and director of Education Data Surveys. Email: john.howson@lineone.net