Daily News Brief
Unfilled teaching posts have risen by 23% in a year
The latest figures released from the Department for Children, Schools and Families have shown that schools are suffering from the worst staffing crisis for years, where it’s believed that there has been a 23 per cent rise in the number of unfilled teaching jobs. Currently there are 2,510 vacancies unfilled across the country
The increase in vacancies is being blamed largely on a shortage of maths and science teachers, but there is also a "demographic timebomb" to face. This is when the rate of of older teachers leaving the profession is faster than the rate of young headteachers available to replace them. It is estimated that over half of all headteachers are expected to retire within four years. At the same time, the number of trainee teachers has also fallen.
Vacancies in nursery and primary schools have increased by nearly 32 per cent since July 2007. In secondary schools, the figure is up by 21.5 per cent and special schools are trying to fill 170 positions. The area which is worst affected is London, where 1.1 percent of teaching posts are vacant, compared with the national average of 0.7 per cent.
Independent
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Call for sex lessons at age four
The Family Planning Association and Brook have announced today that children as young as four should be given compulsory sex education.
The two leading sexual health charities have stated that more needs to be done to reduce abortion rates and sexually transmitted infections among teenagers in the UK.
The charities argue that gradual education from an early age would build awareness, resulting in children not rushing into sex when they are older.
The Department for Children, Schools and Family said that they are reviewing the delivery of sex education in schools.
BBC News
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Eco-Schools reach 10,000
A new Environmental Award course for secondary school pupils has been launched at the historic Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool in front of an estimated 2,000 people.
The course, aimed at 11 to 19-year-old students, requires participants to complete 60 hours of involvement in environmental activities, which will be monitored by a trained teacher at the school.
The award is accredited by the awarding body ASDAN and can lead to the equivalent of a GCSE grade B for those students who choose to complete it.
SecEd
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