Men told to 'get jobs in primary schools'

Addressing the shortage of men in teaching jobs is the aim of a new government scheme set to launch this week.

Four in five applicants for primary school teaching positions are women, although there has been a rise in male applicants of 30 per cent.

Under the new initiative, men will be offered advice on pursuing a career in teaching from those already in the profession.

Boys in particular could benefit from having more male role models in the classroom, says the Training and Development agency (TDA) which carried out the research.

The agency’s chief executive Graham Holley said: "Education is about more than just academic achievement; it is about preparation for adulthood, and there is a need for a mix of role models in primary classrooms."

Research by the TDA last year found that male primary school teachers have acted as fundamental role models nearly half of all UK men.

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