All newly-qualified teachers are enrolled on a one-year mentor scheme, which includes regular one-to-one advice, the chance to sit in on other teachers’ lessons and tips by senior staff on how they can improve their classroom performance.

Trinity, a successful Roman Catholic secondary in a tough inner-city area, says the programme has enabled it to recruit teachers where other schools may struggle. Mike McKeever, deputy head, said: “The first year can be a problem for any new teacher, but we work very hard on our support system.”

Over the past 18 years the school has had 225 NQTs through its doors and two of the eight new teachers this year have been taken on in shortage subjects.

Ashley Cartlidge (pictured), 37, who has just started teaching French and Spanish at the school, said: “I wasn’t swayed by things like the ‘golden hello’ - the important thing for me was to come to a school like this.”