Teachers in Bradford's middle school are joining an exodus to escape the uncertainties of the schools shake up in the city.

Temporary and stand-in teachers are educating half of pupils in some Bradford middle schools as permanent staff leave for jobs elsewhere.

At Holme Middle School in Knowles Lane, head teacher John McGowan has seen key staff resign for jobs in other authorities such as Barnley and Leeds.

Of the teaching staff of 21, about half are now temporary or supply teachers.

He teaches classes himself during short staff absences and brings in temporary teachers to work for several terms, bringing continuity for pupils, rather than use supply staff who might only be in school for days.

"It isn't fair on the children," he said. "It's a major issue here for me and my governing body."

And Chris Milone, 46, head teacher at Eccleshill Middle School, will leave Bradford at Easter after 20 years in the district, to take up a headship in a primary school in Whitby.

"Teachers are definitely leaving and they have had to reassess their whole lives, professionally and personally. Some, like me, are using it as the push they have needed. I decided when middle schools were going that I wanted to take some control over my future," she said.

The proposed schools shake-up will see Bradford's education system change from three tier to two tier. All middle schools will be scrapped in favour of primary and secondary schools, and existing middle school staff will be re-deployed. That process should be completed by July.

Education chiefs have reassured teachers there will be no compulsory redundancies, but the uncertainty over where they will be placed remains.

Mark Newman, head at Denholme First School and national council member of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "Middle schools teachers are leaving. There's great uncertainty, quite understandably, among staff in schools that are closing."

He knew of one middle school with only seven permanent teachers from a staff of more than 20 and circumstances like that puts huge pressure on head teachers and deputies.

And John Howarth, treasurer of the National Union of Teachers in Bradford, said: "The longer this situation of middle school reorganisation goes on with people not being clear where they are, the more likely it is that there will be difficulties in middle schools as teachers attempt to get out and make their future secure."

Schools are now awaiting the decision by Education Secretary David Blunkett which would allow the reorganisation to go ahead from September.

Brian Hall, head teacher at Addingham Middle School and convenor of the middle school heads, said he had not yet seen an authority-wide problem. "It might happen once the placement process starts to take place. Most teachers will be waiting to see how the placement process takes place and where they will get jobs."

Bradford Council's Education Committee Chairman Jim Flood said he was anxious to hear confirmation from the Government that the review could go ahead.

"We have promised teachers a future in Bradford because if they stay it is to everyone's benefit. But I understand how they might see the situation.

"Uncertainty is always unsettling. That is why we have set September this year as the start date and I would expect the mood to change as soon as we get the go-ahead."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.