5 July 2010 Last updated at 06:53 ET

£4m grant to boost graduate teacher numbers

Quality teachers have a great influence on children's achievement

A charity that attracts top graduates to teach in England's most challenging schools is to double the number it recruits.

A £4m government grant will enable Teach First to place high-flying graduates in a third of the toughest, inner city classrooms, it is hoped.

The charity aims to inspire pupils from poor backgrounds to achieve, as well as to provide good teachers.

The government said it wanted to bring high quality teachers to all.

Education Secretary Michael Gove added: "To do this we must attract highly talented people into education, because the quality of teachers has a greater influence on children's achievement than any other aspect of their education."

Voluntary sector

Teach First had already been successful in attracting some of the country's most impressive graduates into teaching, he said, adding that the grant would help them go further.

Using a charity to recruit public sector workers reflects the Conservative ethos of using the voluntary sector rather than the state to provide essential services.

The charity's founder and chief executive Brett Wigdortz said the new grant would help it extend its reach to every region.

He hoped to be able to support new recruits to help them reach leadership positions where they could make the most difference to the lives of children from poor backgrounds.

This year Teach First placed 560 top graduates as teachers in schools. The grant will allow more than 1,140 to be recruited in 2013-4.