Heads say schools are having to deal with more paperwork

The number of senior administrators and bursars has risen from 4,000 to 6,800 since 1997.

Head teachers' unions blamed the increasing complexity of running schools for the trend.

But a Department for Education and Skills spokesman said the level of bureaucracy had been "hugely reduced" in recent years.

Non-teacher heads?

Mick Brookes, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said bursars were being used "to take away some of the bureaucratic work" from heads.

"But a lot of schools are saying, 'we would love to be able to afford one,"' he added.

John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "As schools take on a wider range of activities, it ought to be possible for the principal of a school to be someone without qualified teacher status, provided that responsibility for teaching and learning continues to be vested in a senior qualified teacher.

"We are very definitely not saying that business leaders can be parachuted in to lead schools, but that people with the right leadership qualities and experience should be eligible for the top job."

Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said: "We must do more to sweep away unnecessary impediments and allow head teachers and schools to focus their resources and energy on raising the quality of teaching and educational standards."

But a DfES spokesman said: "Our workforce reforms are all about freeing up teachers to do what they do best: teach.

"Bursars are there to support and assist head teachers in the financial management of schools."