Schools in Essex may have to adopt a four-day working week because of a deepening staff-recruitment crisis.

Paul Lincoln, Essex County Council director of Education, has written to Education Secretary David Blunkett to make him aware of the dire shortage of teachers in the county.

In the past year the vacancy rate in secondary schools has almost doubled and the crisis looks set to deepen.

Between 1999 and 2000 the vacancy rate for primary schools has risen from 1.8 per cent to two per cent, in secondary schools from 1.1 per cent to 1.9 per cent and in special schools the rate has stayed consistently very high at five per cent.

A spokesman for the learning services directorate confirmed the idea of temporary shorter school weeks was not being ruled out, and might be considered if the shortages get worse.

Similar staff problems have already forced three schools - in Slough, Berkshire, Corby, Northants, and Rochester in Kent - to adopt a four-day week, and the Secondary Heads Association has warned more may follow.

In a desperate bid to boost numbers the county council is looking at pushing recruitment overseas, offering laptops as incentives and appointing recruitment specialists to raise the county's profile among those wanting to enter the teaching profession.

The spokesman said: "The shortages of teachers is the biggest problem facing schools. Virtually all schools in the county are experiencing problems and many are already making arrangements such as getting in supply teachers.

"The problem seems to be getting worse and there's no sign of it letting up.

"Even if we recruit all the newly-qualified teachers coming into Essex we would still not be able to meet the shortfall. There is some good news though and that's that the number of teachers at teacher training colleges is rising, but we need them on January 4, 2001, and that can't be done."

The county council has come up ambitious plans to boost teacher levels in Essex.

The proposals include appointing teacher recruitment locality officers to help attract staff to hardest hit areas, recruiting overseas, incentives such as laptops or the first month's salary in advance and providing affordable housing.

Major funding issues are raised by the proposals and the county council is looking at its recruitment budget, the Teacher Training Agency and the School Standards Fund.

By Laurence Cawley

Reporter's e-mail: laurence_cawley@thisisessex.co.uk

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