Bill Chambers
LIVERPOOL is struggling to attract talent to key top jobs because recruits cannot get their children into good schools, it was claimed last night.
The fears were voiced after it emerged Liverpool Hope University’s new head of theology faces leaving his family behind in the USA because he is unable to secure a place at a secondary school meeting “his expectations”.
The development came as a Daily Post investigation revealed while some city schools could be filled four times over, others did not attract enough first choices from parents to fill places.
After scouring the globe, Hope University decided Professor Eric Saak was the right candidate and appointed him as head of theology.
He is due to move from his current post at Indiana University to start at the Childwall campus in September.
But Prof Saak, a renowned scholar of medieval, renaissance and reformation Europe, is now considering leaving his eldest son behind for a year as academically flourishing south Liverpool high schools are all full.
The other option is sending his son to an available schools further afield or putting his name on a waiting list.
But even then, there is no guarantee of success because it is dependent on other parents not taking up an offer.
Places are allocated based on how close applicants meet criteria, ranging from siblings on roll to religious character.