04 May 2004

Head Teachers warn exodus reaching 'critical proportions'

The National Association of Head Teachers have announced that the number of head teachers leaving the profession is reaching “critical proportions”.

A study by the union revealed that 1,500 vacancies had already been advertised this year, an increase of 25% on the same period last year.

The union blamed school budget problems, high workload and the pressures of government inspections on the figures.

The NAHT report claimed that one in ten schools received less money than last year, even though costs exceeded the budgets in many cases. The report contained the results of a survey, which found that a third of schools had not received the full 4% extra in pupil funding, promised by the Education Secretary, Charles Clarke, last year.

The NAHT report also found that, of the 358 primary school headships advertised in January this year, 110 (equivalent to 31%) had been re-advertised. In London, the proportion was higher, at 42%.

The NAHT also said that Ofsted’s school inspections were also adding to the pressure on head teachers, as well as the expectations of local authorities, which had been raised by the increase in league tables and other measurements of success.

The NAHT report also stated that the job of head teacher was “increasingly high risk”. The number of cases handled by the union from January to March this year was 850, an increase of 50% on the same period in 2003.

Mr Hart warned that unless heads received more support from governors and local authorities, as well as a real prospect of workload reduction, a decent long-term funding settlement and rewards that reflected their responsibilities, the head teacher exodus would continue.

However, the Department for Education and Skills said that the NAHT’s survey was “deeply flawed and very misleading”. It claimed that their analysis of budget statements received from 85% of LEAs so far showed no evidence that schools were not receiving the minimum guarantee.

The department also claimed that the annual census had shown that both head teacher and deputy head vacancy rates in maintained schools were the lowest they had been since 1997.

(KmcA)