“We’re just one big happy family,” says cuddly Roy Durrant, head of St Mary’s C of E primary school in Amersham. And he means it! The school’s tight-knit complement of 13 teachers prominently features Mr Durrant’s wife Bronwen as literacy and numeracy coordinator and his daughter Michelle as head of infants. “It is nice to have us all pulling together,” he adds.
Mr Durrant, who, he hastens to add, had no part in the selection of either wife or daughter, reports no misgivings among teachers who are not of the blood. He also says it cuts down on family travel costs and carol service commitments. Sadly, his wife is due to retire this year, leaving only two family members to hold the fort. So, will Mr Durrant be finding another member of La Famiglia to take her place? “No, I don’t feel it is a head’s responsibility to produce every member of staff,” he says, despite the terrible teacher shortages. “There is no Government money in it. If someone would have a word with the Secretary of State, however.”