A SECOND school head has joined the growing row over the teacher recruitment crisis in East Lancashire.

John Challoner, of St Bede's RC High School, Blackburn, told parents last night that the crisis was badly affecting the school.

And he slammed politicians who did not understand what the impact of teacher shortages was in a school.

As reported in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph last month, Anthony McNamara, of St Augustine's High School, Billington, accused the Department for Education of "spin and denial" in its reponse to the crisis. And he added: "Alarm bells should be ringing."

Speaking at last night's St Bede's prize night, Mr Challoner told parents and staff: "A shortage of teachers means that pupils are not taught by specialists.

"The continuity and progression that we are urged to maintain in pupils' learning is broken. Improvement and building on the work of primary schools is impossible.

"We have a crisis and it is already affecting our school badly. You, as parents, should know this.

"The net effect is an increase in the challenges for the staff who do remain, in carrying the extra burden of trying to make provision for supply teachers.

"And even the most committed supply teacher has in reality no real professional or emotional investment either in the school or in the the pupils. If they do they are rare."

Meanwhile, the reality for teachers still dedicated to the job and the vocation they had entered was a profession constantly under fire from direct or implied criticisms they were somehow to blame for the ills of society, Mr Challoner added.

"Sadly, this has occurred at the same time as teachers in all schools and in all phases have to deal with increasing numbers disruptive and difficult pupils.

"This is further compounded by a growing fear among teachers that any innocent comment or action by staff is now readily interpreted as a possible basis for threats of legal action or formal complaint.

"Such allegations are now commonplace among a rising minority of pupuils and parents."

In July, three experienced maths teachers left St Bede's. One has been replaced; another teacher will start in January. But one full-time Maths post is still vacant and because of long teacher notices this cannot be filled until next May at the earliest.

Earlier this year St Bede's was praised by Ofsted inspectors for providing a "very good Catholic education for its pupils."