Teachers and teaching assistants who have not been cleared by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) will be allowed to work in schools at the "discretion" of headteachers, the Government announced last night.
Education Secretary Estelle Morris said the decision was taken because the CRB was not processing their applications quickly enough.
She stressed that all staff would still have undergone checks against List 99, the secret dossier of people convicted or suspected of child abuse.
Ms Morris said she had stepped in because of the disruption to schools.
"I have decided to allow teachers and teaching assistants to work in schools at headteachers' discretion after receiving List 99 checks," she said. "The further CRB checks would then follow."
She added: "I discussed the problem with the teacher unions and associations and employers.
"My whole concern is for the pupils. I could not allow the disruption to our schools to continue."
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