10:10pm Saturday 6th September 2008
By Andy Chiles
Twenty schools in Sussex have started the new academic year without a permanent headteacher.
Teaching unions said shortages they predicted two years ago were beginning to have a major impact.
They said a large generation of heads were all retiring around the same time and replacements were becoming hard to find because few teachers were willing to take on the stresses and strains of the position.
The vacancies in Sussex have been caused through a mixture of retirements, illness or structural changes.
Most cannot be filled now until January, because of the notice senior teachers must give to move jobs, and are currently occupied by acting heads.
Several of the positions have already been advertised by their schools but no suitable candidates were found.
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