A shortage of male primary school teachers is leaving boys without vital role models for life, research has found.
Almost half of 1,032 men polled by research specialist ICM for public body the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) said a male teacher had been a fundamental role model for them.
More than a third felt that having a male primary school teacher encouraged them to work harder at school.
The TDA is urging men to consider careers in teaching. They currently account for just 13% of registered primary school teachers.