It’s no secret schools are facing an uphill struggle to fill vacancies, especially headteacher roles.
Only last month Education Secretary, John Swinney revealed plans to boost headteacher numbers by increasing recruitment campaigns and offering succession planning.
There’s certainly plenty of headships and depute headteacher vacancies on s1jobs – the issue appears to be attracting suitable candidates.
No longer is leading a school the domain of the over-50s, that final posting before skipping off into the sunset of retirement.
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Headteachers are getting younger, with appointments of twenty and thirtysomethings not uncommon.
If the thought of becoming a school’s head appeals, it’s worth considering these factors.
Back to your books
If you thought your studying days were behind you, think again. Into Headship is Scotland’s national qualification for aspiring headteachers and is designed to give teachers the knowledge, skills and understanding for a senior leadership role.
It’ll mean going back to your books for work-based learning, completing courses and attending workshops.
Master multi-tasking
Being a headteacher isn’t one big job but rather hundreds of little jobs all happening simultaneously. If you’re already skilled in the art of herding cats, you’re in with a chance.
What the headteacher job description doesn’t mention is at times you’re also the school’s head janitor, first-aider, occasional receptionist and minibus driver.
Money, money, money
Balancing your own household finances is one thing but scale this up to the size of a 1000-strong secondary school, throw in a handful of budgetary pressures and you have a tough maths problem on your hands.
Getting some experience of the intricacies of school budgeting and its annual rhythms – by shadowing or taking responsibility for some of it – will give you a better chance of getting to grips with finances when you become a headteacher.
Learn the ropes
The traditional way to a headship is by working as a deputy head then stepping up and that’s probably still the best way to prepare for the step up. Mentoring from an experienced head, placements and job shadowing offer potential candidates the inside track on what the job really involves.
Find the right fit
The pathway to becoming a headteacher is usually two or three years in the planning so start out considering what school best fits your teaching vision and ethos, personal ambitions and personality.
You might set your sights on a rural or an inner-city school but having a destination in mind makes the journey there so much more worthwhile.
For the latest vacancies in Education/Teaching at every level visit s1jobs.