A primary school headteacher has scooped a prestigious £10,000 playwriting prize for his comic tale of a disastrous school Ofsted inspection.
Colin Dowland’s script Headless was selected from more than 200 entrants to win the third Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize.
Dowland, who is head at Woodridge Primary School in North London, said his job was the perfect inspiration because “in a school something ridiculous happens every day”.
He is also a published children’s author and newspaper columnist and had his sitcom The Alternative Route shortlisted for the BBC Laugh Track initiative.
Along with the £10,000 prize, Dowland’s comedy will now also be considered for production by the Royal Court.