Headteacher turnover is still 14 per cent higher than before the pandemic, suggesting departures are no longer associated with a Covid backlog but with the increased demands of the job.
SchoolDash data shows 1,709 headteacher changes at state schools this September, when appointments usually peak, up from 1,502 in September 2019.
While turnover has dropped by 11 per cent from last year’s 1,927 changes, sector leaders have suggested the uptick reflects heads are leaving for reasons other than retirement.
“[During Covid] hiring was curtailed, you couldn’t do in-person interviews, it was very difficult to move house. Things were depressed,” said Timo Hannay, thefounder of SchoolDash.
