More school pupils have been hit by the backlog in vetting their teachers - and it could become worse next week.

Current checks backlog

Most urgent: 22,355 Issued this week: 11,268 Given extra priority: 6,417 Need more info: 4,670

Leicestershire has been worst affected by the problems at the Criminal Records Bureau, because the school term began in the county on Thursday.

Schools in most parts of England and Wales go back during next week.

Leicestershire education authority says its has 240 outstanding applications, although more checks are needed daily for people only recently appointed to jobs, and those due to start after half-term.

Five of its schools have had to send home a total of 841 pupils on Friday.

Those affected are:

• Belvoirdale Community Primary in Coalville: three classes
• Hallbrook Primary in Broughton Astley: two classes
• Manor High School in Oadby: four classes
• King Edward VII Community College: all first year GCSE students
• Kibworth High School: all 12 and 13 year olds in Year 8.

Sent home

Leicester City - a separate education authority - said Moat Community College and Kestrels' Field Primary School re-opened on Friday, after being forced to stay shut on Thursday, but four others were having to cut classes.

Up to 60 pupils at Coleman Primary have had Friday's classes cancelled, as have up to 90 children at Bridge Junior.

At Catherine Junior School in the city, up to 60 pupils cannot attend on Friday and Monday - and nor can GCSE students and sixth formers at New College.

Leicester City Council said that as the Criminal Records Bureau completed more checks, it hoped all schools would be "back to normal by early next week".

Meanwhile, at ADT Community College in Wandsworth, south-west London, where the new term also started this week, 540 pupils are missing the first three days.

Scale of the backlog

The latest figures from the Home Office showed that of the 22,355 checks identified as the most urgent last week, 11,268 had been completed.

Of the remainder, 6,417 have been given additional priority - and CRB staff will again be working through the weekend to try to complete them.

But they have had to ask for more information on 4,670 applications, some of which could contain errors.

So they might fail to meet their deadline of next Wednesday, when many schools begin the new term.

Councils in England and Wales have reported large numbers of staff still awaiting clearance, and some have told BBC News they cannot rule out problems as a result.

Double checks

Teachers and other adults who work with children - even crossing patrol staff - have to undergo a double clearance before they can start work.

Their names must be checked against the government's confidential databases of people deemed unsuitable to work with children.

They must also have checks on police records, a process that can take more time as staff may have worked in several different police force areas.

Because of the backlog, the Department for Education had been telling employers they could take on new staff provided they were not on the blacklists - subject to satisfactory checks on their criminal records coming through later.

Policy change

Following the murders in Soham, it is insisting both checks must be completed beforehand.

A letter sent to education authority personnel officers on Tuesday - published on the department's website - stressed: "It is crucial that the full CRB checks should be completed on all new staff who have not been checked in the past, and people who have had any break in service."

But is said it was important that they prioritise the checks, and did not check unnecessarily.

It said this meant that for an existing employee, who had been checked previously and was moving directly from one post to another in a maintained school without any break in service, no check was needed - provided their references were in order.

The full checks should still be completed in due course if they were moving from one education authority to another.

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