AFTER comment on social media from concerned parents, Gable Hall School has issued a statement about a number of newly qualified teachers who have made a big impressions at the secondary school, but who are not being kept on.

There have been a number of differing versions about the number of young teachers who learned in the past few days that they are not being kept on.

One parent summed up concerns by saying: "What's going on at Gable Hall? 14 teachers in training have had contracts cancelled this week. Some of them within 25 days of qualifying. It's so upsetting for all. How are the big gaps in the timetable going to be covered? With unqualified support staff?

However, the school – a member of the Ortu Federation, has played down the situation and told Thurrock Nub News: "Ortu Gable Hall and the wider Ortu Trust are proud to be home to large proportion of teacher training opportunities in Essex.

"The trust accommodated 20, year-long, training placement opportunities in September 2020 and are pleased to have offered 15 of those ongoing employment. While the trust would have liked to have offered employment to the full cohort, there were simply not the vacant positions in the desired subject areas."

It gave no further details nor commented on the disparity between its statement and numbers quoted by parents.