Sexist attitudes and concerns about balancing family and work continued to be “major barriers” to the ambitions of women teachers, a report by the National College of School Leadership said yesterday.

One in three women heads in primary schools also complained that they had experienced sexism in job applications. Many women said that selection panels were dominated by men who perceived that a male head would make the best leader for their school.

“There is still a common expectation that a head teacher, particularly of a secondary school, will be a man, so women head teachers may also face resistance once in post,” the report said. Women who had failed to win promotion said that feedback after interviews had included comments that they had worn too much nail varnish or gold jewellery, been too short and failed to support boys’ sport.

A woman in her mid-forties told researchers that she had been asked to withdraw her application for a senior post after disclosing her pregnancy. Another said that interviewers asked her what her husband would say if she got the job.

The report also quoted a primary school head who said a governor had remarked, “Oh good, it’s the one with the legs”, when she arrived for interview.

The study highlighted differences in regional attitudes. In London 43 per cent of heads were women but in the North East the figure was 23 per cent.

Government figures show that only 31 per cent of secondary heads are women, even though 55 per cent of secondary teachers are female.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Revealed: how Eurocrat leaked secrets over dinners
• Politicians use the net to brainstorm
• British spy in longbow plot to kill Himmler