Head teachers to get management training

The government will invest Pounds 100 million over three years in management training for head teachers. Launching the prospectus for the new National College for School Leadership this week, prime minister Tony Blair (above) said he wanted to see the 24,000 serving heads - and more than 50,000 aspiring heads - trained like company executives.

"For too long we accepted that chief executives had their MBAs and intensive management and leadership programmes, while head teachers arrived on the first of September with just the keys to the office and a few tips from their predecessor," he said.

The college will be based around a Pounds 10 million residential centre, with an extensive information technology network, with courses available through an internet-based "virtual college". The government is now seeking a founding director and is seeking expressions of interest from "a range of external partners - from both the public and private sectors" to design courses and establish the infrastructure. The college will open next year.