Head Teachers: Retirement

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of headteachers in England are within (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years, (d) five years and (e) 10 years of standard pension age; and if he will make a statement. (150805)

The normal pension age (NPA) of teachers who entered service before 1 January 2007 is 60. Entrants to the profession from that date have a NPA of 65. NPA is the age at which members of the teachers’ pension scheme can retire without any actuarial reduction to their pension benefits.

The following table provides the percentage of full-time head teachers in service in the maintained schools sector in England within one year, two years, three years, five years and 10 years of the NPA 60, in March 2005, the latest information available.

*Full-time head teachers in maintained sector schools in England, percentage in service by number of years before the normal pension age (age 60), March 2005 (provisional)*
Years before NPA	Percentage of head teachers¹
Less than:
1	2.1
2	6.2
3	11.3
5	23.9
10	57.7
¹ Percentages are cumulative Source: Database of Teacher Records.

Reforms of the teachers’ pension scheme that were introduced in January 2007—and which include a NPA of 65 for new entrants—included new provisions that are specifically aimed at encouraging teachers to extend their working lives. These new provisions will provide a real and attractive alternative to teachers’ traditional approach to retirement.

The National College for School Leadership is currently undergoing an extensive programme of work on succession planning.

Volume 463: debated on Tuesday 24 July 2007