Wokingham

More than half the teachers and support staff in Wokingham's schools have not been cleared to work with children - and the figure in Bracknell Forest is unknown.

Wokingham District Council confirmed that 975 support staff and 870 teachers appointed before March 2002 have not had Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks. It currently employs 1,500 teachers.

While Bracknell Forest education bosses say exact numbers are unavailable, their Wokingham counterparts are unable to "state categorically" how many staff employed since 2002 have yet to be cleared.

Wokingham District Council leader Frank Browne confirmed the problem was being dealt with as a "matter of urgency".

He said: "While it's quite a topical issue at the moment, our officers had already identified it as something we needed to look at, and we take it very seriously."

Wokingham Cllr Browne was unable to put a time scale on the operation, but said it could cost the council up to £60,000 to vet the staff.

CRB checks were introduced in March 2002. Before that, teachers and support staff were checked against List 99 - which contains the details of people barred from working in schools.

The Department for Education and Skills strongly recommends the CRB checks and education Secretary Ruth Kelly will shortly make them compulsory.

Lib Dem councillor for Wokingham District David Hare, who raised the issue at a recent meeting, said: "It's something I discovered by chance and I felt I had to bring it to the council's attention.

"I don't want to be a scare-monger, but £30,000 or so seems worth spending on the safety of our children.

"I'm a father myself and if you're putting your child in the care of someone, you have a right to know if they're in safe hands."

Assistant director of education and children's services at Bracknell Forest Borough Council Alison Sanders said: "We have carried out CRB checks on all new teachers and support staff since CRB checks were introduced in April 2002.

"We are also undertaking a recheck of all teachers and support staff appointed before then. This process has been under way for more than 12 months but there is some way to go.

"Before April 2002, teaching staff working in our schools were also checked against the Department for Education and Skills's List 99 and with Thames Valley Police."

Bosses are currently one year into a three-year checking programme.

ic Berkshire ~ Wokingham