New scheme to boost number of teachers by reimbursing student loan payments to be piloted in Yorkshire

Bradford, Doncaster and North Yorkshire will be among 25 areas in the country to benefit from the plans, which could see student loan repayments reimbursed for newly-qualified teachers from the disciplines.

Around 800 modern foreign language and 1,700 science teachers a year across the country will be eligible for the scheme, Justine Greening revealed yesterday.

Mrs Greening made the announcement as she addressed an audience of 4,000 teachers at the Teach First conference at Wembley Arena.

She also urged the teachers to make sure all children have the same opportunities “whatever their background”.

During the speech, Mrs Greening announced two new projects will also receive a share of the £75m Teaching and Leadership Innovation Fund, to help provide tailored training opportunities for teachers.

She said: “I want to make sure that everyone has the same opportunity to achieve their ambitions, regardless of where they are growing up or their background”.

Her speech follows the announcement of new measures to recruit and retain more teachers, including a new phased maths bursary and a £30m investment to provide support to schools facing recruitment challenges.