Government should hope for a summer surge to keep its promise on science teachers

Figures just published show that there has been a 16% fall this year in the numbers of graduates applying to train to become chemistry teachers.

The figures, on Post Graduate Certificate of Education applications, show what a struggle the government now faces to deliver its promise, made by the Chancellor in 2006, to provide 3000 more science teachers by the year 2010.

Statistics supplied by the education analysis firm Education Data Surveys are, says the Royal Society of Chemistry, "another jolt that reminds us of the need to act now to get more science teachers into Britain's secondary school system."

The Royal Society of Chemistry is hoping that there will be a late rush in applications to PGCE courses by the late summer.

If that late surge fails to appear then the Government's promise two years ago on science teacher recruitment will look very hard to deliver.

Things might be worse for chemistry teaching - applications for physics are down by 30% and biology 25%.