‘Horrendous' staff shortages as schools in capital balance on edge of closure

SCHOOL leaders in London are grappling with “horrendous” staff shortages and face a challenging term as they teeter on the edge of closure, heads warned today.

- Anna Davis

Pupils are returning to classrooms this week, with a staggered start for secondary school students who are expected to take a lateral flow test on site before starting lessons wearing a facemask.

Already today at one London girls’ school, 14 members of staff are absent, while the head of a major schools group said one in five staff members could be missing this week.

It comes as Andrea Greystoke, founder of the Abercorn group of London schools, said children from different classes in the same year group should be merged and taught together if there are not enough teachers for them all.

Ms Greystoke said one year group should not be given priority over another for face-to-face teaching. Ian Bauckham, chairman of Ofqual, had suggested teenagers taking exams, early years pupils or those with special educational needs should be prioritised for in-class teaching.

He also suggested specialist subjects such as PSHE and music may need to be temporarily halted to cope with staff absences this term.