Top graduates are being offered up to £30,000 tax-free to train to teach the key subjects – like Maths and Physics – that help young people reach their full potential, Schools Minister Nick Gibb announced today.

To ensure all pupils, regardless of background, receive the best possible education the government wants every child to study the academic qualifications at GCSE that will help them succeed in life – whether it is securing a place at university, an apprenticeship or their first job.  Pupils who started secondary school last month will all have the opportunity to study the key EBacc subjects of English, maths, science, history or geography, and a language at GCSE.

To help attract the best and brightest graduates, with the potential to be exceptional teachers in the core Ebacc subjects, the government has today published details of the increased tax-free bursaries and prestigious scholarships available for the academic year 2016 -17.These include:£30,000 tax-free for graduates with a first class degree training to teach physics, an increase from £25,000 in 2015/16. Trainees in physics with a 2:1 will continue to receive a £25,000 bursary, and trainees with a 2:2 will also now receive £25,000 up from £15,000 last year;increased bursaries of up to £25,000 in other EBacc subjects including maths, biology, chemistry, computing, languages and geography; continuing the increased funding available to schools offering School Direct (salaried) places in maths and physics to boost starting salaries in these subjects – trainees can earn £25,000 nationally and £29,900 in inner London; anda further 700 prestigious tax -free scholarships worth up to £30,000 for physics, and £25,000 for maths, chemistry and computing trainees, delivered in partnership with the professional bodies for these subjects.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:“As part of the government’s commitment to real social justice we want every child to study the core academic subjects that will provide the best preparation for later life. Teaching now attracts more top graduates than ever before. To ensure we can continue to attract the best and brightest graduates into the profession, with the potential to be excellent teachers in these key subjects, we are continuing to offer a wide range of bursaries and scholarships. These new financial incentives will give more talented people the opportunity to become teachers so they can inspire even more young people to achieve their full potential.”

Many thousands of talented graduates have already received a tax-free cash incentive in recognition of their potential to be outstanding teachers in a range of key subjects. More than 16,500 trainees receive a training bursary every year. A further 1,400 of the most gifted maths, physics, chemistry and computing trainees have also benefited from one of the government’s sought-after teacher training scholarship schemes, which have been running since 2011 in partnership with highly respected professional bodies:the Institute of Physics (IOP); the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA)the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.As well as generous financial benefits, scholars will enjoy a range of perks including free membership to professional bodies, access to resources and events to support them during their training, and early career support through their first years of teaching. Fern Langran-Goldsmith was awarded a Scholarship in partnership with the Institute of Physics in 2014, she said: “I would highly recommend the IOP Scholarship to everyone. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain. Through it I have met some incredible people and it has given me opportunities beyond what my training course was able to give me.”