The latest Government figures suggest that there is a record low number of male teachers in Cumbria. 

The Department for Education figures show that there were 4,398 teachers in state-funded schools in Cumbria as of November 2021-with 1,034 of them men. 

This means male teachers make up just 23.5 per cent of the workforce in the area in the 2021-22 academic year.

This is down slightly from 23.6 per cent in 2020-21, and the lowest proportion since comparable records began in 2010-11. 

Sue Sanderson, the lead councillor for Education in Cumbria County Council said: "It is disappointing and a worry because we would like to keep it proportional. 

"However the Local Education Authority (LEA) has very little impact on the employment of teaching staff as it is up to the governors and the head-teachers. With the Government wanting to bring in more academies they will have even more control over teaching staff then the LEAs." 

Chris Brooksbank from the NEU said this week that teachers should receive more pay to attract them into the profession.

This falls in line with The Association of School and College Leaders. It called on the Government to reverse the fall in teacher salaries nationally.