Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to attract (a) science, (b) technology, (c) engineering and (d) mathematics teachers in disadvantaged areas.

From autumn 2022, the Levelling Up Premium will provide early career teachers in maths, physics, chemistry, and computing with bonuses of up to £3,000 tax-free annually, in the first five years of their career, if they teach in eligible disadvantaged schools. The full eligibility criteria for the Levelling Up Premium, including eligible schools, is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/levelling-up-premium-payments-for-teachers#eligibility-criteria-for-teachers.

The department is also offering bursaries, worth £24,000 tax-free, and scholarships, worth £26,000 tax-free, to encourage talented trainee teachers into key subjects such as maths, physics, chemistry, and computing.

These measures are supporting the recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in the schools and areas that need them most.