THE introduction of a diploma to replace GCSEs is being welcomed at south Essex schools - as long as the money is found to train staff appropriately.
Edexcel exam chief Jerry Jarvis has said a lack of training among teaching staff could leave up to half of the country's teachers ill-prepared to deliver the Government's new diploma qualification for England.
He said unless teachers received adequate training, pupils could end up with worthless qualifications.
Russell Sullivan, headteacher of Castle View School, Canvey, said: "There has been a lot of preparation and the diploma is potentially an exciting development in the qualifications framework for the country.
"But obviously it needs to be well resourced and the teachers need to be properly prepared."
Jerry Glazier, NUT general secretary for Essex and Southend, said: "Those teachers who have had training are very happy, but 43 per cent of teachers still haven't been trained and that is a big gap in skills."
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