Luca's Story

Luca, 24, from Southgate and Wood Green in London, wanted to become a teacher to help address critical shortages in London schools. But when he looked into teacher training, he found that bursaries for his subject had been cut by the Department for Education, despite desperate need for teachers in the capital. The classrooms were there, qualified graduates like Luca were ready to train, but HM Treasury's spending rules meant departments compete for fixed pots rather than funding what's actually needed. This episode explores how central government creates artificial scarcity in teacher training, leaving students without the educators they need and graduates like Luca blocked from contributing to their communities. Disclosure: This story represents broader systemic issues affecting many aspiring teachers across London's education sector.