Government must do more to avoid head teacher crisis - laws

More than half of head teachers in England will retire within 10 years, according to figures revealed by David Laws, MP for Yeovil constituency.

The finding came in a Parliamentary answer to, David Laws MP. Figures showed that within 10 years nearly 60% of head teachers will have retired.

David Laws said:

"These shocking figures show that there’s a schools leadership crisis in the making. Many teachers feel that the Government’s incessant micro-managing and interference has meant that the job of a headteacher has become increasingly unattractive and unrewarding.

"This crisis is already immerging in parts of the country where many headteacher posts are having to be re-advertised due to a lack of applicants.

"The Government must act now to ensure that teachers want to move into leadership roles by ensuring these positions are well paid and not bogged down with unnecessary bureaucracy.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of headteachers in England are within (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years, (d) five years and (e) 10 years of standard pension age; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The normal pension age (NPA) of teachers who entered service before 1 January 2007 is 60. Entrants to the profession from that date have

Category: Constituency News