New measures to be introduced to increase headteacher numbers

Measures to encourage more teachers to take up roles as heads and address problems with headteacher recruitment are set to be introduced as new figures reveal the number of schools with shared headships has risen by two thirds since 2010.

The Headteacher Recruitment Working Group report showed there were 151 more primary schools with shared headteachers in 2017 than there were in 2010.

And it also revealed that there are 412 teachers who hold the standard for headship but are not in headteacher roles.

The headteacher recruitment working group – made up of government, professional groups and unions – has recommended a number of actions to support existing headteachers as well as helping other teachers move into leadership roles.

The actions include getting councils to identify potential candidates to take part in the fully-funded Into Headship qualification and extending the Scottish Government’s teacher recruitment campaign to cover headteacher posts.

 Education Secretary John Swinney said: “There is absolutely no shortage of talent or ability among the teaching workforce in Scotland, but there is a need to identify, encourage and support those who are interested in rising to the challenge of the headteacher role.

“While the number of teachers in promoted posts increased last year and average age of headteachers is reducing, Scotland needs more headteachers to inspire pupils and teachers to reach their full potential.

“This year, for the first time, we are supplementing our successful teacher recruitment campaign with a headteacher specific campaign to encourage teachers to consider a future in headship.”

Greg Dempster, General Secretary of the Association of Heads and Deputes Scotland, said: “Headteacher recruitment has been a big issue for some time. The Headteacher Working Group report does not shy away from the challenges that need to be addressed.”

The Lib Dems have warned that the new figures reveal a “soaring” burden on headteachers.

Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesman, Tavish Scott, said: "Earlier this month the Scottish Liberal Democrats revealed that almost 100 schools were missing senior leadership.

"Excellent headteachers are at the forefront of driving up standards in Scottish schools. However this report shows that their workload is soaring and they’re finding themselves ever more thinly spread.

"No wonder the first national strike over pay in a generation is on the cards.”

Scottish Labour’s education spokesperson, Iain Gray, said: “John Swinney is always telling us that the leadership of head teachers is the critical factor in a school’s success, and that he is supporting that leadership.

 “How can he explain then that the number of secondary schools having to share a headteacher has tripled whilst primary schools have seen a 60 per cent rise in shared headteachers since 2010?

 “Even more bewildering is the fact that 412 people have qualified to be headteachers but have not been given an appointment despite this crisis.”

 COSLA, which is the joint chair of the headteacher recruitment working group, said it is “fully supportive” of the measures to increase the number of teachers applying for leadership positions.

Ken Muir, Chief Executive of the General Teaching Council for Scotland, added: “GTC Scotland supports fully the recommendations in the report which, when implemented, will lead to much- needed and improved recruitment of school leaders.

“The review of GTC Scotland’s Professional Standards and its support and guidance on effective Professional Review and Development are key components in developing leadership skills in future school leaders.”