Teachers of 300,000 children unqualified

MORE than 300,000 children are being taught by unqualified nursery staff, a charity has warned, amid concerns that children are starting school unable to read or write.

There are more than 10,000 nurseries, playgroups and children’s centres across the country in which staff do not have suitable qualifications, according to Save the Children.

An analysis of data obtained through Freedom of Information requests reveals that there is a shortage of around 11,000 early years teachers in England.

The warning comes after Damian Hinds, the Education Secretary, said it was a “persistent scandal” that children were starting school unable to talk in full sentence or read simple words. He pledged to halve the number beginning schooling without the speaking and reading skills they need.

Steven Mcintosh, Save The Children director of UK poverty, urged ministers to invest in high-quality childcare, arguing that this would ensure children have the relevant skills to start school. “High-quality childcare, led by early years teachers, can ensure children are ready for school,” he said.

“Many are leaving the profession or are close to retirement and the numbers starting training are plummeting.”

Official figures show that investment in promoting early years teacher training is less than one per cent of what is spent on schoolteachers, he added.

Relevant qualifications include qualified teacher status, early years teacher status or early years professional status.