Training applications rise, but RE and languages fall
APPLICATIONS to postgraduate teacher-training courses are up again, by 17 per cent in England and more than a fifth in Wales. But the number of people considering training as RE teachers has collapsed, and universities are also struggling to find takers for modern foreign languages. Applications for RE are down 16 per cent, from 553 in 2001 to 464. They are also down 6.2 per cent for German courses. French and Spanish did rise but only marginally, and other modern languages are down 11 per cent. Maths applications are up more than a fifth but of the 105 secondary maths courses in England, Wales and Scotland, only six have filled all their places. The big successes are information technology and business studies - applications are up 74 and 53 per cent respectively.