The BBC Reports: The number of men training to become a primary school teacher has increased by more than 50% in England in the last four years, figures suggest.

The Teaching Agency said men starting a career in primary teaching was growing at five times the rate of women.

There were 3,743 male trainee primary teachers in 2011-12 compared to 2,476 in 2008-9, the agency reported.

Interim chief executive Lin Hinnigan said primary teaching was becoming a more attractive option as a career.

She said: "Primary teaching is increasingly a career for the most able graduates. It offers the opportunity to earn a good salary and progress quickly."

The agency said teachers were twice as likely to be in management positions after three-and-a-half years than graduates in comparable professions.

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