My Blog

The TES has an article this week about a new fast track headship scheme. Unlike the old one it won't provide recruitment and retention payments of £2000 per year.

 I think that this is incredible, not that they should scrap the R&R payments but that they paid them in the first place! If I were a young teacher (which I am not!) and someone offered me a place on a four year course specifically designed to fast track me into headship I would have snatched their hand off. No wonder the old course has cost £89 million since 2001. Even with the recruitment and retention payments only 176 have been appointed to head or deputy head positions. Apparently the new course will provide better value for money!

There is one area that concerns me about the new course though, "Mr Mumby said he expected successful applicants to come from middle or senior leadership posts, or from outside teaching." "there may be newly qualified teachers who have had other careers first".

Surely it must be a very rare candidate with sufficient managerial / leadership experience in a sector outside of education who after just four years would be sufficiently prepared for headship.

I came from an industry background, came into teaching late and even after 16 years of teaching / leadership experience I have found the position of headteacher a challenge. I can't imagine what sort of mess I would have made after just four years.