The Guardian has reported that schools in England's poorest neighbourhoods could find themselves without a headteacher in a few years' time because of a dramatic decline in applications to a government-backed scheme that trains the future leaders of challenging comprehensives.
According to the newspaper (9/2/2010) , only a third of the number of last year’s applicants has applied to the Government’s ‘Future Leaders ’ scheme, which trains heads for challenging urban schools.
The scheme currently operates in London, the north-west, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, Bristol and the on the south coast, although it may be expanded to cover other areas in the future.
The Future Leaders website says it “presents talented and committed people with a unique opportunity to develop their leadership skills in preparation for National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), and thus make a significant difference to the lives of children and young people.”
Those selected for the programme can become headteachers within four years.The application deadline was extended until 16th February due to “the challenging start to the new year experienced by many schools”, according to The National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services website.
The Guardian reports that just 122 applications have been received, compared with 374 this time last year – when just one in seven applicants were selected.
According to the article, Heath Monk, Future Leaders' chief executive, attributes the sharp fall in applications to teachers being worried about the threat of public spending cuts on schools and deciding to stay in their current jobs.
In September last year, the Daily Telegraph reported that headteacher vacancies generally were unfilled at one in four schools. Dr John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told the Telegraph that the Government should do more to address increased workload and pressure on senior leaders and offer salaries and working conditions “commensurate with the high expectations now placed on them.''
Have your say: are fast track management courses like Future Leaders the answer to recruiting quality headteachers in urban schools? Is it your goal to become a headteacher? Or is it your idea of a nightmare? Post your comment and let us know!
15 Feb 2010
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I would never want to be a headteacher with the role a head has at present. I would like to be a headteacher that spent a proportion of their time teaching, managing staff, leading by good practice and communicating and sharing ideas and values with staff, parents and pupils. I would also like to have the freedom to run the school as I felt was beneficial to its pupils, not by feeling I was compromising in my priciples and beliefs, as many must to at present. The budgeting and buildings maintenance should be looked after by a team of professionals in this area. Perhaps a team of people should manage a number of schools. Just a thought... Too many heads are not very good at this aspect of their role and mismanagement of budgets seems to be too easy (at least I know of a few in my area!) Let head teachers be good leaders of teachers, and known by their pupils and parents, not hidden away in an office trying to work out data, levels and funding. Then more excellent teachers may want to become excellent heads and our schools would benefit from happier heads, who then can lead an motivate their staff properly instead of seeming overloaded, stressed and unfulfilled! This would obviously have a knock on effect which would benefit our children!
ReplyDeletenice comment :)
ReplyDeletepity twas anonymous
i'd vote for you :)