A UNION leader has welcomed a top politician’s calls to secure qualified teachers in schools.

After Nick Clegg’s recent backing for qualified teachers and a core curriculum for schools, Blackburn’s NUT representative said he was pleased with the stance.

NUT rep Simon Jones said: “His announcement that all teachers should have Qualified Teacher Status and that there should be a national curriculum for all state funded schools is certainly welcome.

“In order to ensure we have enough qualified teachers there needs to be a proper and coherent approach to initial teacher education, and to retain teachers we need a better and national pay framework.

“All this needs to be underpinned by a light touch and professionally acceptable accountability system. It would be very popular with teachers if the Liberal Democrats announced the abolition of Ofsted.

“The NUT would also particularly welcome a return to local oversight of all schools via democratically elected local authorities.

This is a pledge that would also please grassroots Liberal Democrats who have shown support.”