Experienced teachers hit as 5,500 jobs are cut

About 5,500 experienced teachers lost their jobs because of last year's funding cuts, according to a survey released yesterday.

New recruits were usually cheaper, younger and on short-term contracts. The findings from the Association of Teachers and Lecturers come as the Cabinet meets to decide whether to fund this year's teachers' pay award.

Governors and parents are warning that thousands more teachers will have to go if ministers fail to provide extra money. Local authorities have not budgeted to fund the award, which is expected to be 2.7 or 2.8 per cent. Kenneth Clarke, the Chancellor, is opposed to allowing local education authorities (LEAs) to increase spending and sources close to Gillian Shephard, the Secretary of State for Education, said there would be no attempt to lift the spending cap on LEAs today.

But the first signs of anxiety among Tory MPs at the warnings of cuts in school services by school governors came as James Pawsey, chairman of the Tory backbench education committee, called for the spending limits to be lifted.

Mr Pawsey, Tory MP for Rugby and Kenilworth, said: "I have no doubt that in some areas the teachers' pay settlement is going to be pretty tight and frankly we are still endeavouring to mitigate its effects. . ."

The association's survey of about 6,000 schools in England and Wales shows that sackings have begun. More than 800 teachers took voluntary or compulsory redundancy last year.

About half the lost jobs were due to early retirement of experienced teachers and many of these were pushed into leaving, the association suggests. Peter Smith, its general secretary, said there had been "a haemorrhage of older, more experienced teachersfrom the profession".

The National Governors Council is compiling a dossier of cuts to present to John Major next week. It is asking governors to draw up two budgets, one taking account of the cuts and one based on the needs of children.

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