It was back to the classroom for a group of budding teachers, who are already helping FE students improve at maths and English.

Twelve people have started teacher-training courses at Canterbury College Teaching Academy. They all hope to become GCSE maths and English teachers in the FE sector.

As part of the course, they are helping teach numeracy and literacy skills to students who are studying other subjects at the college, but only achieved a D grade or less in GCSE maths and English.

Former estate agency accounts manager Victoria Dagg, 26, who is retraining as a maths teacher, said: “I’ve sat in on lessons and have even taken charge of some for short periods.”

Students who did not achieve A to C in maths and English GCSE must now study them alongside their college courses, under new government rules.