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Headteachers in Scotland are demanding a pay increase, it has emerged.

Senior staff in schools across the country want a pay increase of ten per cent, which would mean the top salary for a headteacher could reach £90,000.

General secretary of the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland Greg Dempster commented to the Scotsman that a salary boost would encourage more people to join the sector.

"There are less applicants for headship. An increase in the salary gap with classroom teachers will go some way to encourage potential leaders to take that step up," he said.

General secretary of Headteachers' Association of Scotland Bill McGregor added to the Herald that if the government wants good leadership in the education sector they must "be prepared to pay for it".

ClickAJob chief executive Yngve Traberg agrees: "Without good leadership in education, the price tag gets even higher in the job market as companies will have to employ staff with less than ideal educational experience.

"Good head teachers are worth their weight in gold - but only as long as they can demonstrate measurable positive impact on their school's performance," he continues.

"It's a fact of life that all jobs are competitive and some MD's [managing directors] can make a hugely significant bottom line impact. It's exactly the same with headteachers.

"Prospective employees need the best education they can get to give themselves the edge. So it all comes back to getting the schooling as good as it can possibly be - and we should expect to pay for quality".

The current top salary for a headteacher in the country stands at £76,527.