Schools sharing staff to cover lessons, heads say

Head teachers in England are having to share staff with other schools as they try to find "stop-gap solutions" to fill vacancies, the Association of School and College Leaders says.

Its snapshot survey of 900 heads found 90% were struggling to recruit.

The government says it is investing £1.3bn up to 2020 to attract new teachers where they are most needed.

But three-quarters of respondents to the survey said it was now tougher to recruit than 12 months ago.

And nearly nine out of 10 said the situation was creating extra work and stress for staff.

While some 70% were using more support staff, about a fifth had worked with other schools to share or recruit teachers.

Some 41% of those surveyed had arranged for more lessons to be taught by the head or deputy head.

29/09/20Adults without A-levels to be offered free college courses

Adults in England without an A-level or equivalent qualification will be offered a fully funded college course, the government has announced.

23/09/20Schools urged to keep teacher training placements to prevent recruitment bottleneck

Schools and ministers must make it a priority to retain the influx of new trainee teachers that has come as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and recession.

15/09/20Heads warn of teacher shortages without Covid tests

Schools in England are being "severely hampered" by delays in Covid tests for teachers, say head teachers.

10/09/201 in 10 pupils not in school, admits PM

Boris Johnson reveals that 89% of pupils have returned to school since classrooms opened for the autumn term

04/09/20The changes to expect at schools in Kent as coronavirus safety measures are introduced

As a raft of new safety measures are in schools, this is what to expect under the 'new normal'.