Someone must want Peter Rawcliffe’s job. The head of Waterloo primary, in Blackpool, retires this July. But, despite a pound;68,000 salary, a glowing Ofsted report and new buildings, the school cannot find a replacement. The problem is not confined to Waterloo: primaries across the nation are struggling to find heads, despite increasingly generous salaries. In an effort to attract candidates, Waterloo even compared itself with the fictional school in the BBC soap Waterloo Road - without success.
“We thought there might be mileage,” Mr Rawcliffe said. “People could see if the themes on telly reflect real life. But maybe our Ofsted report was just too good for some people. It scared them.”
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