Last updated at 16:17, Thursday, 15 November 2012

CUMBRIA is struggling to attract high quality teachers and head teachers, Labour has claimed.

SPEECH: Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg

Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said isolation played a major factor in recruitment across the county.

Speaking to the Caroline Benn Memorial Lecture on Tuesday night, he called for action to tackle failing schools in seaside, coastal communities and areas of the north, saying: “Experienced teachers and bright graduates are less likely to move to these areas, partly because they don’t know about them, or they fear a long journey to visit friends and family.

“The remoteness of a place like Hunstanton in Norfolk means they have struggled to recruit good science teachers.

“While there are many excellent teachers and head teachers, areas of Cumbria, including schools in Barrow, Ulverston and Workington have struggled to attract enough high quality teachers and head teachers.”

Mr Twigg said while the achievement gap between poorer and wealthier children had narrowed under the previous Labour government, there was an “arc of underachievement” which was “blighting the life changes of thousands of children and young people”.

He added: “As those who believe in social justice and equality of opportunity, we must address this problem honestly, and without fear. To do anything else would be to allow a catastrophe of neglect.”

Labour wants to double the number of Teach First graduates from 1,000 to 2,000 a year – which places teachers in schools in more challenging areas.

The government has pledged to increase it to 1,500. Labour also wants to give incentives to teachers to work in northern schools and coastal areas through a refund in tuition fees if a teacher commits to work in a school in these communities for at least two years.

First published at 16:11, Thursday, 15 November 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk