Head Teachers: Recruitment (Hansard, 19 January 2004)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)
My Lords, in January 2003, over 99 per cent of head teacher and deputy head teacher posts in maintained schools in England were filled. The vacancy rates for both heads and deputies were lower than at any time since the Government came to power. Through the work of the National College for School Leadership, professional headship training is now being offered to more serving and prospective school leaders than ever before.

§ Baroness Perry of Southwark
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for that reply, but is there not something seriously wrong when Education Data Surveys has just reported that 40 per cent of all headships in the south-east had to be re-advertised—they were advertised at least twice and some of them more often—and that in the country as a whole 30 per cent of all primary headships and 25 per cent of all secondary headships had to be re-advertised? Do not the Government recognise that their own policies of interfering in the day-to-day management of schools, the heavy bureaucratic burden that they have placed on schools with regulations as well as a punitive regime of naming and shaming have meant that good and creative people are no longer willing to come forward for the job?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, not surprisingly, l do not agree with the noble Baroness's final statements regarding the role of government. It is very important that we see our relationship with schools as a partnership working together to ensure that our children get the best possible education. I have 842 said many times in your Lordships' House that I make no apology for wanting that outcome. It is very important in so doing to recognise schools that need additional help. As the noble Baroness will know from the report, there is a reduction in the re-advertisement ratio for deputy heads and, indeed, for primary heads. There are issues concerning secondary heads and specialist schools in particular which we have noted and will be looking at.

§ Lord Dearing
My Lords. I wonder whether the Minister is aware that while the new framework of inspections by Ofsted is widely welcomed. there are concerns that the interpretation of the new framework has led a minority of inspection teams to concentrate on weaknesses to the detriment of producing a balanced assessment of a school, and that that can damage education. Will she confirm that possibility with the Chief Inspector and the adequacy of the means of appeal against an inspection report?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, we are aware of the issues that have been raised in the Times Educational Supplement and elsewhere. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector and my honourable friend David Miliband are looking at that. Some noble Lords may have picked up that Mr Miliband said on 8 January that we are looking to a new system of better focused inspections which will be introduced from this year. That will shift the emphasis towards self-evaluation— something that I believe the noble Lord, Lord Dearing, would welcome, as, indeed, would other noble Lords. Detailed proposals on that will be published by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector next month.

§ Lord Pilkington of Oxenford
My Lords, is the Minister happy regarding the qualifications of teachers who teach modern languages, physics and mathematics? I gather from statistics that many do not have qualifications in those subjects. Is the Minister happy that such teachers should teach those complicated subjects without having qualifications in them?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Pilkington, will appreciate that his question is slightly wide of the Question on the Order Paper. However, as he indicated, it is very important to ensure that our children get the best possible teaching. That is, indeed, why we have introduced a series of measures to support those students who may go on to teach what we describe as shortage subjects. I am sure that the noble Lord will support us in doing that.

§ Baroness Sharp of Guildford
My Lords, is the Minister confident that the new national professional qualification for head teachers that has recently been introduced is on the right lines? I believe that its reception has been somewhat mixed and that some head teachers are rather unhappy about it.

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, I cannot confirm what the noble Baroness said about teachers 843 being unhappy about the qualification. However, I am sure that in considering the qualification we are very mindful of the feedback that we get. Some 11,300 teachers have completed the qualification and 6,600 are currently undertaking it. I believe that that in itself speaks volumes about those teachers who recognise its value and importance. It constitutes a critical opportunity to ensure that we have good leadership. Were I to discover that the kind of remarks the noble Baroness mentioned were reported in the feedback, I should, of course, ensure that we acted upon them.

§ Baroness Howe of Idlicote
My Lords, to what extent, if at all, do arrangements exist for the enhancement of salaries payable for headship posts in deprived areas, which should take account of the extra work and responsibility involved? Is not that a very important principle to affirm and one which might well lead to more suitably qualified applicants coming forward?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, it is very important to ensure that we incentivise people to be head teachers. As regards areas, it is perhaps worth saying that the average secondary head teacher's pay in inner London is £61,013.

§ The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth
My Lords, is the Minister aware that many issues lie behind the appointment of head teachers and include such questions as the price of houses, particularly in the south-east? Recently, a Church school head was appointed who is a Muslim. Many of us who are concerned about the appointment of good head teachers look for many wider qualities of spiritual strength. Will the Minister give us some encouragement in that regard?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, as regards the recruitment and retention of head teachers it is important to look at all the possibilities in terms of support. Home loans for teachers are a critical part of that, particularly in our inner cities.