Starting the school year with eight headteacher vacancies across the county is hardly ideal.

A good head provides vision, direction and impetus.

Even those schools with the best staff in the world are really only marking time until a leader is found.

No doubt governors are doing everything they can to fill the posts.

But the crisis begs wider questions about education here.

Oxfordshire is a fabulous place in which to live and work and although it is punching below its weight in terms of exam success, candidates should be falling over themselves to come here.

The fact that they are not may be because this is a relatively expensive county to live in.

Or it may be that fewer teachers are aspiring to headships because of the extra pressure the role brings.

If it's the former, the solution lies with the county council.

If it's the latter, that is a matter for Government.

If it is both, then God help us all.