So few students are signing up for teacher training courses that a “famine” of teachers could result, a report gives warning today.

There are about 10 per cent fewer applicants for teacher training than last year, and vacancies are reported on most courses starting in September. There are 1,000 fewer students wanting to become secondary school teachers and a 2,000 drop in applicants for primary schools where around 40 per cent of course places are still unfilled.

Maths, English, history, chemistry and French applications are among the key subjects expecting a shortfall and there are 29 per cent fewer physics candidates. Only PE, with 14 per cent vacancies, can been said to be doing relatively well.

Teacher training figures peaked in 2004 and have been in decline since.

Prof John Howson, a leading analyst and education advisor, wrote the report. In another recent report for the centre-right think-tank the Policy Exchange, he said: “The past decade has been one of famine followed by feast in teacher training: the worry is of a return to more difficult conditions if urgent action is not taken.” He said the figures did not show whether the decline was caused by “the impact of debt, concerns about finding a job after training, the strength of the graduate labour market or a combination of factors”

Times Recommends

• The fourth plinth art project: famous for 60 minutes
• Rubik has a new puzzle to irritate the nation
• Is it Radio 4 or Radio Bore?