Schools take on headteachers in their 20s as older staff quit
SchoolS are employing headteachers aged in their 20s as older staff leave in their droves.
Figures show that in 2016, around 100 heads were aged between 25 and 29 – the first time so many teachers have been promoted at such a young age.
It means they will be in charge of schools despite having no more than eight years’ experience of teaching, labour said.
And while the number of heads aged between 30 and 34 has soared by 50 per cent since 2010, the number over 54 has fallen by a quarter.
last night labour’s education spokesman, Angela Rayner, said the figures were the latest evidence that the teaching workforce is approaching ‘crisis point’.
The analysis of official school workforce data, carried out by the party, indicates that thousands of less experienced teachers are being pushed into leadership roles in schools in England.
Since 2010, the proportion of younger teachers in such roles has increased at a faster rate than the proportion of more experienced teachers; those over the age of 40.
A total of 100 headteachers under the age of 30 were listed as being in post last year, the first time such a number was recorded. The number of heads under the age of 35 has grown by three quarters since 2010.
The number of deputy heads under 30 has grown by 89 per cent since 2010, while the number over 54 has fallen by a quarter.
labour pointed out that the Prime Minister has said that the quality of education a child receives depends on their teachers. Mrs Rayner said: ‘Theresa May is right about one thing: the quality of education relies fundamentally on the quality of the teachers.
‘But under her government, those teachers are leaving schools in their droves. These figures are the latest evidence the teaching workforce is approaching a crisis point. They have missed their recruitment targets for five years running, and for two years in a row more teachers left the profession than joined.
‘Yet, instead of tackling the problem, the chancellor just tells teachers that they’re overpaid.’
The party said that pressure on less experienced teachers to progress faster is likely to be because of teacher leaving rates.
A Department for Education spokesman said: ‘We would never seek to discourage good teachers from aspiring to leadership roles just because of their age so it’s encouraging to see gifted young teachers being given the opportunity to take on headship at an early stage in their career.
‘Excellent leadership, together with high- quality teaching, is essential to improving pupil outcomes. Improving career progression can only help raise the status of the teaching profession and attract more of the brightest and best candidates into teaching.’