Gareth Bale vs Mr Bale

Imagine: Fans eagerly await news of this season’s transfers. As the window opens, speculation is rife as to who will stay and who will go. There is jubilation from some as their latest signing is revealed. Others commiserate as their favourites move on. Bosses offer increasingly larger salaries to attract the best. Once contracts are signed, the stars appear in all the papers the next day. Youngsters (and some not so young) aspire to be like them. Imagine we were not talking about footballers – but teachers.

In this world of teacher transfers, schools would need significantly larger budgets. They would not spend all of it on staffing, of course, but on improving grounds, better resources and the best support for their stars. This support would cover everything from developing their professional skills to maintaining their health and wellbeing, as well as employing key support staff to assist them.