Why can't we attract Head Teachers?

One in eight of all primary schools in Lincolnshire have no permanent head teacher, according to East Midlands Today on BBC TV.

I wonder why we have more head teacher vacancies than any other county in the region...

Could one reason be Lincolnshire County Council's shattered reputation reaching other parts of the country?

With one former Tory Leader of the Council - Jim Speechley - sent to jail for abuse of power and a second - Ian Croft - barred from office for unacceptable conduct, we have a lot to do to restore trust in Lincolnshire.

Some years ago, when Jim Speechley was chair of education in the county, he hit the headlines after objecting to a plan to increase spending on special needs children.

He shamefully told a council meeting that special needs children had little to offer society, so it wasn't worth spending extra cash on their needs.

This was the man the Tories later chose to lead the Council.


And when Speechley was eventually officially shamed as a "bully" who ran the council in "a climate of fear" (Public Interest Report finding), the Tory ruling group rewarded him with a vote of confidence.

Even with Speechley and Croft removed, more recent events have done little to restore public confidence - such as the shambolic handling of plans to close down infant and junior schools with surplus places.

Who could blame talented potential head teachers from giving Lincolnshire a wide berth?