Bristol turned bilingual today in a novel recruitment drive for modern languages teachers. Giant sticky notes translating building names into French, German and Spanish were attached to public buildings throughout the city, turning the museum into ‘el museo’ and the train station into ‘la gare’.The library, a bakery, a hotel and a local supermarket also came in for the bilingual treatment, and information on teacher training courses was given out at each site.

The sticky notes were put together by pupils from local schools to encourage more people to train as modern languages teachers, as part of the teacher training agency’s (TTA) national recruitment campaign. Applications are still being accepted for teaching courses starting this September, and local training providers, the University of the West of England and the University of Bristol, have places on their post-graduate modern foreign languages courses available.

The TTA’s latest recruitment campaign, ‘Use your head. Teach,’ emphasises the day to day enjoyment teaching can offer, plus its career prospects and financial rewards. On a pay scale that compares favourably with other graduate professions, newly qualified teachers will start on at least £18,500 outside London and £22,000 in London.

In addition to the £6,000 tax -free training bursary available on postgraduate courses, those who go on to teach modern languages could also receive a ‘golden hello’ of £4,000 after their first year of teaching.*

Alison Taylor, postgraduate certificate of education tutor for modern languages at University of the West of England, said: 'There are still places available on our modern languages secondary PGCE course starting in September if people apply now. If you are interested in teaching modern languages and have a degree in German, or French with some German or Spanish, contact us now to find out more.'

To find out where there are vacancies on courses starting this September visit the graduate teacher training registry’s (GTTR).

Notes for editors

For information on teacher training courses starting this September at:

University of the West of England call 0117 328 4267

University of Bristol call 0117 928 7002

For more information about how to become a teacher, visit useyourheadteach.gov.uk. Personal advice is available from the teaching information line on 0845 6000 991 (992 Welsh speakers), minicom 01245 45 43 43.

Applications for most postgraduate initial teacher training courses are processed through the graduate teacher training registry and can be submitted online at the GTTR website. Applications for undergraduate teacher training courses can be made via the universities and colleges admissions Service (UCAS).  For guidance on applying through the clearing process which begins in August, visit the above websites.

A newly qualified teacher (NQT) can expect to start on a salary of at least £18,558 outside London or £22,059 in inner London. The pay scale for good, experienced classroom teachers who have 'crossed the threshold' rises to £29,385 outside Londonand £34,851 in inner London. Additional allowances may be paid to teachers considered to be excellent, and to those who take on management and other responsibilities. The pay scale for headteachers can rise to over £90,000 depending on size of school.

Eligible trainees on postgraduate initial teacher training courses in England are entitled to a tax-free training bursary worth £6,000. Tuition fees for “home” or European students are paid by the Government. NQTs with a PGCE in a priority subject (mathematics, science, modern languages, English or drama, design and technology, and Information and Communications Technology) also may be eligible for a taxable 'golden hello' payment worth £4,000 after successfully completing their induction period.

If you already have one language and are finding it difficult to gain a place on initial teacher training because you do not have sufficient knowledge of French as a second language, then you may want to consider a modern language extension courses. Modern languages extension courses in French are currently being piloted at the University of Hull and Liverpool John Moores University. German extension courses will be piloted from May 2005. Courses are three months in duration and participants are expected to begin a teacher training course.

The teacher training agency was established under the Education Act 1994. Its purpose is to raise standards by attracting more people into teaching, and by improving the quality of training for teachers and the wider school workforce.

Media enquiries

Kelly Sommerton at Band & Brown Communications. Tel: 020 7419 7328, email kelly@bbpr.com

General TTA enquiries

0870 496 0123