TEACHER-training bus tours are proving to be just the ticket.

Since the recruitment initiative was launched two years ago, it has helped attract more than 200 teachers into the district's primary schools.

Now the Bradford Council scheme is being extended to include secondaries.

The tours take teaching trainees to classrooms to get a first-hand insight into how the profession operates locally.

This month, students from Leeds Trinity University have become the first to visit secondary schools.

Councillor Imran Khan, the council's executive member for education, employment and skills, said: "Our bus tours have already had a big impact.

"We know that when people see the work our schools do first-hand, they want to be involved.

"We hope the teacher training students who take part are inspired by what they see.

"Our district's secondary schools are already achieving some amazing results, having been the fourth most improved area in the country for the progress pupils are making at GCSE.

"We hope more talented teachers taking part in the latest round of bus tours will join us to help improve the district's results further."

Following the tours, workshops are staged where candidates are given advice about applying for jobs, writing personal statements and preparing for interviews.

Newly-qualified teachers are then invited to apply to a talent bank, set-up by the council, which enables district schools to find the best candidates for their vacancies.

The tours are part of a major campaign to attract more teachers to the district.

Bradford Council has invested £660,000 over three years in recruitment.

A new online effort, Bradford for Teaching, has been launched.

And teaching ambassadors, who will share stories about their work through social media and Youtube, have been selected.

For more details about teaching in the district, visit bradfordteaching.org.