The number of people wanting to become secondary teachers dropped in 2017 compared to the previous year, new statistics show.

The figures released by admissions body Ucas in its end-of-cycle report show that there were 68,370 applications for secondary teacher training courses last year, compared to 70,990 the year before, a drop of four per cent.

The statistics also revealed that applicants were less likely to be rejected in 2017.

While applications for secondary teacher training places were down by 4 per cent, the numbers who got places were down by just 2 per cent. Each candidate can make up to three applications.

Here are four more things that we learnt from the statistics:

1. More people wanted to become primary teachers in 2017

There was a rise of 7 per cent in the number of applications for primary teacher training courses in 2017 compared to 2016 - and a 17 per cent rise in the number of people who were given a primary teacher training place, up from 10,790 to 12,600.

1. Applications for university-based teacher training rose

There was a rise of 3,390 in the number of applications for postgraduate teacher training places in universities with 64,980 applications to HE in 2017. While the numbers applying to train in School-centered initial teacher training (Scitts) also rose, the number of applications to train in schools through School Direct dropped sharply, meaning that overall, applications for all these school-based routes dropped by 3,060.

1. Applications for maths and science teacher training places fell

Applications to train as a maths teacher in England in 2017 were down by 5 percent compared to 2016 - applications were also down 14 per cent for chemistry, 19 per cent for physics and 21 per cent for biology teacher training places.

The number of trainees who were successful was also down compared to the previous year. There were 2,270 maths teacher trainees placed in 2017 compared to 2,330 in 2016. In chemistry, 820 trainees received places compared to 960 in 2016, in physics, 670 trainees were placed compared to 800 in 2016 and in biology, 900 trainees had places compared to 1,210 in 2016.

1. Languages were also down

There were 9,330 applications to train as a French, German or Spanish teacher in England in 2016 - this fell to 8,040 applications in 2017. In 2016, there were 1,980 people placed on French, German or Spanish teacher training courses; in 2017, this dropped to 1,760.

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