It's the security, going to England and knowing that I can get a job there

Teacher Stacey McKown

There are increasing fears that this could leave schools in Wales facing stiff competition for new staff.

Packages being offered to teachers in Wales by schools desperate to attract new staff can add up to �8,000 to basic salaries.

Recruitment teams from schools in south east England have targetted Welsh universities and colleges in the search for newly-qualified teachers.

Schools in Wales are not as badly affected by teacher shortages as their counterparts elsewhere in the UK.

Tempted to England : Stacey McKown

Nevertheless, the General Teaching Council is concerned about losing fresh teaching talent to England.

Newly-qualified teacher Stacey McKown has already been tempted to leave Wales.

She has almost completed her teaching practice at St Thomas Primary School in Swansea, and is preparing to take up her first teaching job to Essex.

She had considered staying in Wales, but said the package on offer was too good to refuse.

'Beneficial'

On top of her starting salary of �16,000, she will receive extras on an "early start" programme which boost it by around �3,000.

"It's the security, going to England and knowing that I can get a job there," she said.

"Also the early-start programme has been beneficial to me because it means I can get to know the school before the term starts in September - so I haven't got a completely new class and new faces."

There is anecdotal evidence that secondary schools in Wales are experiencing some difficulties in recruiting.

With this in mind, a survey of all headteachers is planned in the autumn to assess the full extent of the problem.