Warning on teacher shortage

Teacher trainers in universities are warning the Government that it faces a shortfall of thousands of teachers in the next two or three years, particularly in subjects where it is hard to find qualified staff, writes Colin Hughes.

Some university education departments are considering dropping their teacher- training courses or shedding large numbers of places because, they say, they cannot afford to keep running them.

Universities have to pay schools about pounds 1,000 a student for helping in training. They say the Government's new plans for more school-based training, coupled with pressure on universities to keep making economies, are leading some universities to contemplate dropping courses or halving the number of teacher training places.