SCHOOLS across the borough have been affected by the flight ban caused by a volcanic ash cloud from Iceland as staff remain unable to get home.
There are 93 members of staff from 14 schools, incuding teachers, assistants and support workers, who have been unable to return to work following the Easter holiday.
The worst-affected school is Buxton School, in Cann Hall Road, Leytonstone, with 15 teachers stranded abroad.
Parents of pupils in years eight, nine and ten have been asked to keep their children at home until further notice, while students in years seven and 11 have returned to school as normal.
Other schools are managing to cover lessons with their existing staff.
They include Walthamstow School for Girls, which is missing seven teachers and two support staff, and Chase Lane Primary School in Chingford, with six teachers and two support staff unable to return.
Whitefield Schools and centre, in Macdonald Road, Walthamstow, is down 13 teachers and three teaching assistants.
The exact number of pupils who have been unable to return to school because of the flight ban is not known, but a council spokesman said it was "minimal".
The volcanic ash cloud entered British airspace last Wednesday and National Air Traffic Services (NATS) stopped all flights into and out of the UK on Thursday, stranding thousands abroad.
British airspace was due to reopen today, with British Airways announcing it would start flying into and out of the UK from 7pm.
Have you been affected by the flight ban? Contact Sian Harrison on 07795 308149.
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