New grammar schools ‘could make teacher shortages worse and cut A-Level options for many’
Pupils may even be affected by schools not running a full complement of if teachers opt to join education revolution
TEACHER recruitment at non-selective schools may be hit by the expansion of Grammars, according to a leading teachers’ body.
Pupils may even be affected by schools not running a full complement of A Level courses if teachers gravitated towards new grammars, it’s been claimed.
The warning comes after Theresa May introduced plans to introduce a new generation of new grammars despite opposition from education experts.
Schools’ watchdog Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw even accused the PM of trying to “put the clock back”.
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But Malcolm Trobe, Interim General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “We are concerned that opening new grammar schools might worsen the teacher recruitment crisis.
“Teachers like to teach across the full ability range and some may feel they do not want to lose the opportunity to teach the most highly able pupils.
“This would obviously have an impact on recruitment at non-selective schools, particularly because there are already severe teacher shortages.
He added: “Opening new grammars may also make it more difficult for non-selective schools to run A level courses in some subjects, such as physics and chemistry, as funding is very tight and they need sufficient numbers of entrants to sustain them.”
The Department for Education responded: “Teachers entering classrooms still outnumber those who leave.”