A headteacher who threatened to quit the profession because of the growing recruitment crisis travelled to Holland to find new teachers.

However Chris Richardson, headteacher at Furtherwick Park School, Canvey, said he failed to find any new recruits during his visit last week because teacher shortages are almost as bad on the continent.

He said: "This is not about pay as the Government seems to think it is. It is about conditions and paperwork and the amount teachers have to deal with every day and every week."

The school, in Furtherwick Park Road, has vacancies for teachers in sciences and foreign languages but Mr Richardson said the underlying problems were forcing many existing teachers to seriously consider quitting the profession altogether.

No luck - Chris Richardson could find no spare teachers in Holland

Picture: MAXINE CLARKE

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