Midlife boost for teachers

Research by the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services showed that teaching was most likely to benefit from the midlife surge of ambition.

A third of 45 to 54-year-old teachers were planning to apply for headship jobs, a much higher proportion than graduates in other professions seeking a top job.

Around one in eight teachers want to be heads in the next three years, and most believe there are plenty of opportunities to progress in their career.

Steve Munby, chief executive of the National College, said: "This research identifies that ambition for headship doesn't decline with age and it's great that these teachers are hungry for headship."