Worst schools need better-paid teachers

The Prince's Trust report will make gloomy reading for ministers today.

The Prince's Trust report will make gloomy reading for ministers today.

What makes it sadder reading is that you cannot lay the blame wholly on the Government for a lack of effort. It has so far channelled at least £800m into improving standards.

Professor Alan Smithers, of Buckingham University, makes a good point though, in saying that the schools these youngsters go to are often those that find it hardest to retain teachers.

They often have to rely on a series of supply staff who - by the very fact of their brief sojourn in the schools - cannot take as much interest in individual pupils as full-time staff.

The time has come to consider paying a premium for teachers to work in the worst-performing schools so they stand a better chance of attracting better staff. It's about the only thing that has not been tried.