UNION bosses are warning that Dorset's teacher crisis could escalate because some schools are abusing temporary contracts - and risk losing staff.

Dave Bowen, the county secretary of the National Union of Teachers, says of the 139 new teachers appointed in September, 51 are employed on temporary contracts of one year or less.

And of the 68 newly qualified teachers starting their careers in Dorset this year, over half have only been offered temporary contracts - despite the national crisis in teacher recruitment.

Mr Bowen said the system of offering temporary contracts is being over-used and he fears it could force good teachers, uncertain of their prospects in the county, to look outside Dorset for another job.

He said: "No doubt some small primary schools feel insecurity over their budget as a consequence of the low national funding level with which Dorset continues to struggle. But it cannot be fair to penalise our youngest, most energetic and enthusiastic teachers because of this.

"At a time of national crisis in terms of teacher recruitment and retention, these young teachers are beginning their careers feeling less than fully valued by a system that desperately needs them. They are being put through unnecessary worry and stress at a time when the pressures on them are greatest."

Mr Bowen said there were legitimate reasons for employing some staff on temporary contracts - to cover absence through maternity leave or long-term sickness or pending an appointment of a specialist member of staff.

But many of the latest one-year contracts have been offered because of budget worries - especially in small schools.

He said: "Most temporary contracts locally are not used for these reasons and appear to be mistakenly given on the assumption that teachers can be taken on for a trial period.

"We have an induction period for new teachers to have both support and inspection in their first year and the very few newly qualified teachers who don't get through this successfully can have their licence to teach removed.

"The existing mechanisms work well without the need for a further testing period."

Weymouth headteacher, John Horrell from St John's School, said he was unaware of the high numbers of temporary contracts being offered to new teachers. But he added: "I'm not surprised heads are doing this because of the uncertainties surrounding annual budgets."