WORCESTERSHIRE headteachers say they share the concerns nationally that there is a growing problem in recruiting teachers.

The National Association of Head Teachers, (NAHT) said 79 per cent of schools advertising for vacancies had problems filling the positions.

The finding came from a national survey of more than 2,000 school leaders with the main issue, according to half of respondents, being there is a shortage of applicants.

Russell Hobby, NAHT's general secretary, said it was clear evidence of a "recruitment crisis" particularly as respondents who said teachers were leaving the profession had doubled.

However the Department for Education said the number of teachers now stood "at an all-time high".

Sean Devlin, head of Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College in Battenhall - one of Worcester's largest secondaries - said although the Government were saying it was not an issue, it had definitely become one.

"It has always been hard for a school like ours, but it has become harder in the last few years," Mr Devlin said.

"When you are struggling to fill a position, it becomes destabilising and a juggling act of your staff, prioritising key subjects.

"Teachers have faced a pay cut over the last three to four years, plus a great stress is put on them meeting targets.

"But it is a rewarding job."

Richard Jacobs, headteacher of the Chase School in Malvern, echoed the comments.

"It is getting harder to recruit across the board," he said.

"We have been fortunate - last summer we were able to attract enough good candidates to make a selection from.

"But we have seen less candidates applying for positions - it is far more difficult compared to five years ago."

A Department for Education spokesman said: "With the economy improving we have redoubled our efforts to attract top graduates to the profession and we have over 1,000 more graduates training in secondary subjects - and record levels of trainees holding a first class degree.

"The vast majority of teachers stay in their roles for more than five years and more than half of those who qualified in 1996 were still in the profession 18 years later."

The Department also said the number of former teachers who return to the classroom continued to rise each year, according to latest figures.