TEACHERS could be recruited from overseas in a bid to plug a "crisis" in staff shortages.

Essex County Council is set to launch a project board to form its own teaching supply agency in the new year.

The agency would aim to recruit teachers in this country and the UK into primary and secondary schools Nardeep Sharma, principal of the Colne Community School and College, Brightlingsea, said: "The local authority is looking at setting up their own teaching supply agency.

"They are looking to see if they can recruit overseas to help support Essex schools.

"I think it is a good thing because there are not enough teachers out there."

Schools say shortages are mainly in Science, Techology and Maths.

At Mr Sharma's school he has two vacancies for heads of department in Geography and History.

He added: "If we are not getting enough places from the usual recruitment resources we need to set up our own.

"Since I have been here there has always been a teacher recruitment issue in the coastal region.

"Recruitment issues have got worse and worse."

Mr Sharma said schools had to option to pay teachers a daily rate of £220 or an upfront introduction fee, between £3,000 and £6,000.

Schools who opted for the latter might keep them for just a term or a full school year.

He said the lack of applicants could be down to concerns over workload, pay and the national state of the economy.

"The Government knows the situation is getting worse but they haven't done anything about it," he added.

Clive Reynolds, head teacher of Hamilton Primary School, Colchester, rated Outstanding by Ofsted, said: "The county council are very concerned about the recruitment problem.

"It is a crisis.

"I don't have any vacancies but when I did have one in the summer all I can say is the number of applications was much reduced on previous years."

Mr Reynolds said there were fewer than 20 compared to typically 40 to 50 five years ago.

"I don't think there are so many good quality applicants as there used to be.

Mr Reynolds said he did not have a problem with overseas teachers as long as they are suitably qualified and can communicate effectively with the children.

He added: "I think it is a great shame a country such as ours can't produce enough quality teachers. The Government needs to look very hard as to why this situation is occurring.

"I think they need to recognise it is a crisis and not, as one Government minister put it, a challenge."

Essex County Council said it was too early to comment on the recruitment scheme at this stage.