Although it could never become the most common route by which to enter teaching, the scheme could help to boost the supply of good head teachers (Teach First applicants are screened for leadership potential).

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Mr Gove also announced plans for scheme to get more music professionals teaching in schools.

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The researchers found that the Israeli scheme had much less effect on teaching methods in middle schools than in elementary schools.

ECONOMIST: Not helpful

The retraining scheme has been so effective at teaching service-industry skills that Lego had to discourage the Billund airport and the owners of a new water park called Lalandia Billund from poaching the trainees before it was ready to really lay them off.

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But that is unlikely in this case since the money for the programme came from the national lottery, and the study found no significant change in teaching resources, methods or training in schools that acquired computers through the scheme.

ECONOMIST: Not helpful

Their rigorous measurement scheme has revealed that schools still need to do a lot better teaching aboriginal and immigrant children and ensuring that more students finish high school.

ECONOMIST: It's not just the economy that is booming; schools are too

The Ministry of Defence said it was already working with the Department for Children, Schools and Families on a scheme to encourage more ex-military personnel to consider secondary-level teaching.

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