New figures indicate a concerning rise in staff vacancies within schools across Cumbria this academic year.

According to data from the School Workforce Census, there were 26 unfilled positions across state-funded schools in the region in November 2022, a notable increase from the seven vacancies recorded the previous year.

Of these vacancies, a staggering 24 were for classroom teachers, which highlights the pressing need for qualified educators in Cumbria.

The situation is mirrored nationwide, as the figures published by the government reveal that teacher vacancies in England rose from 1,564 in November 2021 to 2,334 in November of last year.

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) warns that these numbers represent just the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to the struggles schools face regarding staff shortages.

Geoff Barton, the general secretary of ASCL, stressed that schools often find it challenging to fill vacancies, leading to repeated advertising for positions, relying on supply staff to cover gaps, and employing non-subject specialists to teach classes.

These measures increase the workload and pressure on school leaders and existing staff while potentially compromising the quality of education provided to children.

The data also reveals a substantial increase in temporarily filled school staff positions, which rose from 2,247 in 2021 to 3,308 in 2022.

In Cumbria alone, 30 positions were temporarily filled, with 22 of them being classroom teaching roles.

Overall, the 320 schools in the area employed approximately 4,060 full-time teachers during this academic year, marking an increase from the previous year's count of 3,893.

While this growth is encouraging, it does not fully address the persistent recruitment and retention crisis faced by the education sector.

Louise Atkinson, a former Carlisle City Council member and president of the National Education Union, commented: “It’s a real issue in schools, we’ve got lots of big classes and teachers who are filling gaps by teaching outside their subject.

“The cost of living here is less than across the country, so the fact we’re having these issues here as well is concerning for how it must be for other areas of the UK.”

She said the issue comes down to pay, as the job is becoming progressively less attractive, thus the future is untenable if the government do not agree to increase wages.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan acknowledged the importance of teachers in shaping children's lives and commended the record number of teachers currently working in schools.

Keegan highlighted the government's efforts to attract new trainees with generous bursaries and support newly appointed teachers through ongoing professional development.

However, critics, such as Ian Hartwright, head of policy at the National Association of Head Teachers, argue that the government is "in denial" about its failure to address the recruitment and retention crisis.

"No matter how government tries to spin it, today’s data shows that it is in denial over its failure to tackle the longstanding recruitment and retention crisis in teaching," he said.

"Without urgent action, more education professionals will sadly decide that what should be a rewarding career is not for them, and pupils’ education and life chances will inevitably suffer."