A shortage in teacher numbers at a school in Yorkshire is symptomatic of wider hiring problems across the country, the leader of a teachers' union has claimed. 

According to reports, pupils at Easington Primary Academy in Yorkshire will need to travel to another establishment because the school itself has not been able to recruit a replacement for a teacher who recently left. 

The school said its long-term supply teacher had left earlier than had been expected, leaving a gap in school capacity which will mean pupils having to be driven to another school for morning lessons in a number of subjects, including literacy and numeracy. 

Brian Lightman, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union, said the problems the school has experienced in hiring a replacement are somewhat "symptomatic" of wider issues across the country. 

"Urgent action needs to be taken to address this problem that is jeopardising efforts to raise standards," said Mr Lightman.

However, despite this, the Department for Education has insisted there is no shortage in the hiring of primary teachers nationwide. 

A spokeswoman said: "It is simply not true that there is a shortage of primary school teachers. "Last year we recruited 116 per cent of our primary target. However, we know that some schools, and particularly some rural schools, find it more difficult to recruit."

She went on to say that the government is now expanding the routes it offers to get people into teaching, as it seeks to increase the number of new teachers even further in years to come. 

In addition to these, she added that the government's recently announced National Teaching Service to "send outstanding teachers into areas exactly like this" would help in the future when it comes to addressing staffing problems. 

"We expect head teachers and academy trusts to plan their staffing properly," she concluded.