THERE is no mention of Harry Potter or hint of wizardry in J R Rowling's new book, written on Teesside.

Even so the work could be poised to be a bestseller spelling out its own formulae on how to be a top school manager.

It's author, Nunthorpe School headteacher John Rowling - no relation to JK - hopes his book will help home skills in the classroom.

"The people who would benefit are headteachers and deputy heads and all those involved in leadership in education," said Mr Rowling who has been Nunthorpe's headteacher for 18 years, but teaching for 37 years.

"It's a practical book. It asks questions about key issues in leadership and the courses of action to take to move from being good towards excellence, rather than being a theoretical treatise.

"The second part has a photocopy checklist which heads should find most useful."

Mr Rowling was encouraged to write a book by Dr Ian Click, his chairman of governors.

"It's taken about a year to write after Ian told me there were some things going on here that other people would be interested in," the headteacher explained.

He said: "I think I'm a learning head and an improving one. I've learnt new things in the last five or six years which I was encouraged to share.

"I didn't think I'd write a book and I'm quite surprised that I have."

The book's first edition of 1,000 copies is selling nationwide, with an endorsement from John Dunford, secretary of the Secondary Heads Association