LOCAL schools are having to prioritise face-to-face learning for GCSE and A Level students amid current Covid-related staffing shortages.

In recent weeks, a number of schools in Wrexham and Flintshire have been forced to embark on remote learning for year groups.

Schools have described there being a "staffing crisis" which has reached "critical levels" due to Covid absences. 

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Flintshire’s Chief Officer for Education and Youth, Claire Homard, said: “A number of Flintshire schools continue to face challenges regarding staff absence.

"Headteachers, particularly in secondary schools, are having to make difficult decisions on which year groups to prioritise for face to face teaching and which to move to online to ensure that activity related to GCSE and A level examinations can be completed within the appropriate timeframes. The availability of supply staff is still very limited.”

A spokesperson for Wrexham Council said: “Some pupils have been learning from home due to the impact of Covid on staffing levels, but this tends to be no more than a day at a time, and schools work hard to ensure there’s as little disruption as possible for students.

"It’s difficult to predict the impact of the virus going forward, but we’ll continue to monitor the situation."