The next government should “close the gap” between new teachers’ salaries and wages in other professions to boost recruitment, Teach First has said. 

The charity also said teacher shortages could be plugged by writing off the student debt of those working in challenging schools and shortage subjects. 

Launching a “social mobility manifesto” for the 2017 general election campaign, Teach First said the next government should “close the gap for new teachers’ salaries”.

It said more graduates could be attracted into the profession through a commitment to “reduce the gap between a new teacher’s salary and the starting wages in other top professions”. 

Teach First also urged politicians to commit to clearing up to 50 per cent of student debt after five years for any new teacher working in “an area facing challenges”, or in shortage subjects such as science and maths.  

While Teach First leaders have floated this idea in the past, it has not been adopted as the charity’s official policy until now.

The idea of writing off student debt to improve recruitment has also recently been championed by the Association of School and College Leaders, as well as John Cater, vice-chancellor of Edge Hill University.

To improve the prospects of children from poorer families, Teach First said there should be nationwide support starting before the age of 16 for disadvantaged pupils considering university, and every school should have a leader trained to give careers advice. 

Brett Wigdortz, Teach First’s chief executive and founder, said: “We’re calling upon all the political parties to commit to the policies set out in our manifesto, to help improve social mobility and education in our country.

“The lack of social mobility is not only wasting huge untapped potential in young people, it is also having a detrimental impact on our economy. If our country is to succeed in a post-Brexit world, the focus must be on improving the skills of all - not just the few.”

While Teach First has been critical of the Conservatives’ plans to expand grammars, it did not join the NAHT heads’ union and the ASCL - which both called for the idea to be ruled out when they issued their own manifestos recently - or mention the issue at all.