In my previous post, I noted the increase of nearly 6,000 I the number of candidates applying for a place on a graduate teacher preparation course. Up from 21,436 in March 2025 to 27,352 in March 2026. This post explores the relationship, both this March and last march, between candidates and places offered to those candidates.
Firstly, the number of candidates and the number of ‘offers’ to candidates in each secondary subject.
| candidates | offers | |||
| 2025 | 2026 | 2025 | 2026 | |
| BIOLOGY | 2161 | 2044 | 713 | 332 |
| ART&DESIGN | 960 | 1026 | 451 | 366 |
| MFL | 1876 | 2246 | 821 | 733 |
| PE | 1988 | 2219 | 1149 | 1043 |
| PHYSICS | 3329 | 6522 | 825 | 918 |
| COMPUTING | 1270 | 2394 | 341 | 420 |
| GEOGRAPHY | 1089 | 843 | 476 | 292 |
| OTHERS | 926 | 1342 | 281 | 310 |
| CLASSICS | 67 | 62 | 34 | 27 |
| D&T | 661 | 861 | 273 | 295 |
| RE | 699 | 693 | 255 | 208 |
| MUSIC | 311 | 275 | 173 | 136 |
| MATHEMATICS | 4006 | 5346 | 1277 | 1398 |
| ENGLISH | 2561 | 2830 | 1032 | 990 |
| HISTORY | 1142 | 1281 | 592 | 624 |
| BUS STUDIES | 607 | 923 | 132 | 173 |
| DRAMA | 336 | 384 | 162 | 176 |
| CHEMISTRY | 1662 | 2207 | 441 | 675 |
Note, not all subjects have seen increased candidate numbers within the overall increase.
Secondly, the next table shows the percentage of candidates so far ‘offered’ a place for 2026.
| 2025 | 2026 | Change | |
| BIOLOGY | 33% | 16% | -17% |
| ART&DESIGN | 47% | 36% | -11% |
| MFL | 44% | 33% | -11% |
| PE | 58% | 47% | -11% |
| PHYSICS | 25% | 14% | -11% |
| COMPUTING | 27% | 18% | -9% |
| GEOGRAPHY | 44% | 35% | -9% |
| OTHERS | 30% | 23% | -7% |
| CLASSICS | 51% | 44% | -7% |
| D&T | 41% | 34% | -7% |
| RE | 36% | 30% | -6% |
| MUSIC | 56% | 49% | -6% |
| MATHEMATICS | 32% | 26% | -6% |
| ENGLISH | 40% | 35% | -5% |
| HISTORY | 52% | 49% | -3% |
| BUS STUDIES | 22% | 19% | -3% |
| DRAMA | 48% | 46% | -2% |
| CHEMISTRY | 27% | 31% | 4% |
Only in Chemistry, where because of the reduction in the size of the bursary to those applying for biology courses it seems likely that those with a choice between the two subjects have opted to apply for chemistry with its higher bursary for 2026. As a result, biology, with a 17% fall in offers this March when compared with March 2025, is the big loser.
Despite the change in candidate numbers, the percentages offered places in March 2026 follows a similar ranking to March 2025.
| % offered | ||
| 2025 | 2026 | |
| MUSIC | 56% | 49% |
| HISTORY | 52% | 49% |
| PE | 58% | 47% |
| DRAMA | 48% | 46% |
| CLASSICS | 51% | 44% |
| ART&DESIGN | 47% | 36% |
| ENGLISH | 40% | 35% |
| GEOGRAPHY | 44% | 35% |
| D&T | 41% | 34% |
| MFL | 44% | 33% |
| CHEMISTRY | 27% | 31% |
| RE | 36% | 30% |
| MATHEMATICS | 32% | 26% |
| OTHERS | 30% | 23% |
| BUS STUDIES | 22% | 19% |
| COMPUTING | 27% | 18% |
| BIOLOGY | 33% | 16% |
| PHYSICS | 25% | 14% |
Music is such a specialist subject that it generally only attracts candidates likely to be accepted. However, current ‘offer’ levels are still well below those recorded in the first four years of the century when the number accepted ranged between 68% (2001) and 78% (2003). (Source: John Howson’s collection of GTTR Annual Reports). 2003 was after graduates training to be teachers received a training grant and were also exempt from tuition fees.
Of course, the most interesting percentage of ‘offers’ is that for physics, where only 14% of candidates have so far been made an offer. It looks as if the better candidates for biology are those that have opted to apply for chemistry in 2026, resulting in a significant fall in ‘offers’ in biology.
For subjects such as history and physical education, it is wise for candidates to apply early in the recruitment round since places fill quickly.
Finally, is the present system fit for purpose? Should there be a closing date by which all applicants will be considered, rather than the drip feed approach as a present?
John Howson 