A union representative has issued a severe warning about education in Cornwall amid concerns for growing health problems for over-pressed teachers and an emerging lack of choice in the county’s schools.

Simon Nowell, the negotiating secretary of the Cornwall NASUWT, represents around 2,000 teachers in the county.

He said: ’A significant number of schools are converting to academies and even more academies are converting to multi-academy trusts.

‘All of this is happening despite our own county council running an excellent spectrum of schools. ‘I would like to go on record in believing that very soon our county council must step back from running schools as the majority are moving over to academies. I believe this is inevitable without significant public opposition.’

Mr Nowell said the introduction of academy status was restricting curriculum choices for pupils.

‘Curriculums across the county are narrowing. The NASUWT is representing ever more redundancy negotiations for non-core subjects. This means our children with aspirations towards arts, languages and the practical subjects are being denied.’

This development would have a knock-on effect on the Cornish economy in years to come, he warned.

Mr Nowell said teachers were also having to use up more energy on red tape about the education they were already providing.

‘I am alarmed at the number of colleagues who we are having to represent for burn-out and stress,’ he said.

‘I have never had so many schools requesting redundancy consultations. We have never had to represent so many teachers faced with illness due to stress. The simple fact is that I expect this situation to worsen.’

Mr Nowell has called on parents to voice their opinions to their schools and to show their support.