A HAMPSHIRE educational recruitment specialist has slammed Government plans to open primary schools for 10 hours a day.

Paul Howells, chief executive officer of Eteach.com which runs Staff4Schools in Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey, said: "It is a totally inoperable idea, in its current form, that puts children's welfare at serious risk as well as increasing the burden on headteachers."

Prime Minister Tony Blair recently pledged universal, affordable and flexible childcare for the parents of all three to 14-year-olds who want it, from 8am to 6pm, and the Government plans to have extended school opening hours in every education authority by 2006.

But Mr Howells branded the scheme "irresponsible" and described it as "a disaster waiting to happen", unless the Government can come up with a workable plan to recruit and vet qualified care and learning support staff, known as LSAs.

He also said an official pay structure needed to be put in place.

He explained: "Many classroom assistants and LSAs across the country are earning very low wages and this does not attract the quality people we need to support our children's learning.

"Although schools rely on the well-meaning mums army, the door will be open to unsuitable candidates. I don't believe that headteachers are fully aware of the risks involved."

Mr Howells predicted that schools would have to conduct their own risk analysis and decide how dangerous it may be to leave pupils in the sole charge of non-qualified staff.

He cited the recent case of the tragic death of a four-year-old who drowned after being left behind after a swimming lesson, adding: "I believe that a classroom assistant was supervising the pool and that she had no life-saving or any poolside training at all. Is this just the first of many such instances?"

Mindful of such risks, Mr Howells set up Staff4Schools to provide experienced and qualified LSAs who have been interviewed, reference-checked and had an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check.

All who register with the company will also go through a Staff4Schools induction course.

"Schools can recruit from us knowing that staff have been vetted and have undergone at least some basic training," he said.