Four in ten IT teachers lack qualification

More than four out of 10 computing teachers in secondary schools have no qualification in information and communications technology, despite the increasingly high priority given to ensure that England's pupils are computer literate, a report said today.

The "disturbing" survey also showed that 38% of religious education teachers lacked a formal qualification in the subject, said Liberal Democrats and head teacher organisations.

They said many secondary school teachers - including in the most important subjects such as English and maths, were taking classes in subjects they were not properly qualified to teach.

They decided to carry out a study after the Government failed to do its own "curriculum and staffing" survey, which has traditionally been produced every four years.

The study was based on responses from 54 schools, which led the Department for Education and Skills to dismiss it as unrepresentative.