SCHOOLS across Cumbria are faring better than those in other parts of the country where an ongoing battle to recruit enough teachers continues to rage.

The county has fewer full time vacant teaching positions than the national average within primary and secondary schools, new information published today by the BBC's data sharing unit shows.

Across England, 0.22 per cent of full time primary classroom posts remain unfilled - while Cumbria had an average of zero per cent.

Supply staff filled an additional 0.2 per cent of the county's teaching positions in primary schools, lower than the average for England of less than one per cent.

Nationally, 0.25 per cent - the equivalent of around one in 400 - full time teaching posts in secondary schools are unfilled against 0.2 per cent in Cumbria while agency or supply staff fill another 0.3 per cent of the county's posts, compared to 0.84 per cent nationally.

Commenting on the data, Chris Keates of the teachers' union the NASUWT, said: "Teacher vacancy rates are so high as a result of the escalating teacher recruitment and retention crisis which is being fuelled primarily by excessive workload and year-on-year cuts to teachers’ pay.

"This is making the job unsustainable for existing teachers and unattractive for prospective new recruits."

However, a spokesman for the Department for Education, said the government is investing £1.3 billion in attracting the best graduates into the profession.

The added: "We take teacher recruitment very seriously with a significant programme designed to encourage more good graduates to choose teaching as a career.

"We are also working closely with schools to understand why particular areas of the country face greater challenges in recruiting teachers than other areas.

"We are providing targeted support so that these schools can recruit and retain the teachers they need."