 Nearly half of England's heads are over 50 |
Schools are facing a demographic timebomb which could leave many short of head teachers over the next 10 years, a report suggests. A study for the government's school leadership college says there will be a mass exodus as head teachers who were children of the post-war baby boom retire.
The National College of School Leadership is calling on local authorities and schools to make a priority of developing younger staff as leaders.
Otherwise, it warns, there will be a crisis.
The leadership college commissioned the study from the consultants Haygroup.
Report authors Frank Hartle and Katherine Thomas say 45% of England's heads, deputies and assistant heads are now aged over 50.
More than half of teachers are over 45 years of age and 20% are under 30.
"Unless more focused and formal leadership talent development takes place within all schools, many will continue to face a leadership recruitment crisis," they say.
"Leaving leadership development to chance or individual whim is short-sighted."
Geoff Southworth, director of research at the National College for School Leadership, said: "This report does highlight a potentially serious problem but aims to help us all move forward to a solution before demographics and other factors present us with a serious problem."
One-Minute World News 
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