IT'S difficult not to feel some sympathy for the family from Doncaster who have decided to educate their son at home after he was taught by 13 teachers in the space of 16 months.

Karen Hague believes her nine-year-old son Levi will fare better under her guidance than with the string of supply and temporary teachers he currently comes into contact with.

She claims the problem began at Wadworth Primary School when the permanent class teacher went on long-term sick leave and headteacher Elaine Molyneux was forced to recruit temporary replacements.

Since then, Mrs Hague claims two new permanent teachers have been and gone and at a parents' meeting they could name 13 different teachers since September 2000.

Levi cannot attend another school as all the best ones are full, his mother said.

There was no continuity and no one seemed to care that his and the other pupils' education was suffering, she added.

Headteacher Mrs Molyneux confirmed there had been a lot of teacher activity.

It's difficult to get long-term cover as supply teachers often have other commitments over the year. I hope to have a permanent member of staff in place by Easter.

What an awful situation to be in. As I stated earlier, I can feel sympathetic towards the Hagues' plight.

Pupils need to build up a relationship with their teacher and this whirlwind of staff changes makes that impossible.

Plus, you have to feel for the actual teachers concerned too. I personally wouldn't be happy to step into a classroom where I was the 13th new face in just over a year. What sort of environment does that create? It's hard enough capturing young people's imaginations and inspiring them on a regular, day-to-day basis. How can that possibly work when there's such a fast turnover?

My other concern is poor Levi's standard of education at home. That's not a swipe at his parents a housewife and a paver but let's face it neither of them are used to teaching a youngster.

With a permanent replacement not likely until Easter there seems no happy ending for this unfortunate state of affairs and meanwhile both the school and its pupils have to suffer.