Teacher training offered at 18 hubs across the country

The university says it will train new teachers at 18 hubs in England

A university said it would help create more teachers in communities through its growing number of training hubs.

The University of Worcester said the hubs were part of its Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) training at a time the UK faced a "crisis in teacher recruitment".

Students can study at 18 sites including in Herefordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands.

The government said teacher numbers in England had risen by 27,000 since 2010.

"The key is breaking down the barriers which can make it harder to train as a teacher," said Suzanne Lawson of the university.

"If you're a parent in Hereford, for example, and you've got obligations like work, or childcare, which might make travelling to Worcester every day difficult, the training hub option might well be for you."

Catriona Robinson, Institute of Education head, said it aimed to boost the number of outstanding teachers in classrooms across the country.

"Whether in school, college or university, a great teacher can shape who we are; can open our minds; help us to learn about the world and importantly, about ourselves," she said.

The Department for Education (Df) said there was a "record number of teachers in our schools", which had "been achieved through a range of initiatives to attract the best candidates into teaching, including tax free bursaries and scholarships worth up to £30,000".

A DfE spokesperson added proposals outlined by Rishi Sunak last week also aimed to attract and retain more teachers in key subjects, including maths, physics and computing.