As someone who recruits senior leaders rather than serving as one, I’m always conscious of speaking with headteachers, not for them. Through supporting schools and trusts, I’ve been privileged to hear honest reflections from leaders about what the journey into headship really involves.
Being a headteacher isn’t for everyone, but for many who enter the profession it’s an aspirational goal. Whether you’ve wanted to be a teacher since you were in school yourself, or you’re a career-changer looking to make an impact in the classroom, headship is something early-career teachers often build their careers towards.
Over the past few months, I’ve spoken to several current and former headteachers about their leadership journeys and what aspiring heads should consider before taking the step.
1. Know what motivates you to become a headteacher
Every school leader I spoke to described impact as a major motivation for becoming, and remaining, a headteacher.
One contributor, who is now an Executive Principal within a MAT, got his first experience of headship at a point of transition and potential instability for the school, where he was the sole Deputy. When the previous Head left at the end of the year, he was asked to take on the role of Acting Head to provide some continuity. In the process, he realised that he enjoyed both the challenge and the “ability to make a real difference to young people’s lives”.
Hayley Cheeseman, Head of a primary school in Leicestershire, also became Head in a school where she had previously been Deputy. When the opportunity arose to take on the headship, she felt “excited by the challenges ahead and driven by the impact I thought I could have on the community”. She was excited by the challenge of getting the school to ‘Good’, which they achieved under her leadership at the next inspection. When I asked what motivates Hayley in her role, she said, “knowing I am making a difference”.
2. Timing, resilience and support matter in your first headship
As with any job, beyond the role title and package, the culture, values, and context are hugely important to both enjoying and succeeding in the post. This does not mean that a school already has to be performing well — far from it.
As Mike Baxter, currently Principal of City of London Academy, Southwark, explained when asked how he selected his first school: “my career had always been in underperforming schools with students from families with relatively high levels of socio-economic deprivation. Therefore, I was looking for a school that needed good leadership, particularly in the area of behaviour, as this is where I felt I could have an immediate impact”.
That’s not to say that there is ever a perfect time to take the step. Another experienced Headteacher I spoke to first stepped into headship when they became Acting Head in their school following a disappointing Ofsted inspection. At the time, he didn’t feel fully ready, but he was encouraged by the support of the governors, the SLT and the offer of mentorship from an experienced Head.
Access to support was another key theme. Headship can be lonely, and the leaders I spoke to were clear about the resilience the role demands. Having governors, fellow headteachers or a Trust CEO to turn to for advice and perspective helped them through the more difficult periods.
3. Understand what headship really involves
The role of a Headteacher is demanding and requires a broad skillset. People leadership and financial stewardship are just as important as pedagogy and behaviour management.
One Headteacher I spoke to said that the most important thing they learned in their first year was that people management is often the biggest and most time-consuming challenge.
All of the Heads noted that things work most effectively where culture is strong and staff pull in the same direction, but creating these conditions isn’t easy. It requires consistent effort, but there is a big payoff in the sense of achievement it can bring.
Reflecting on how he turned around behaviour in his school, Mike Baxter noted that it involved “hundreds of detentions and inevitable conflict along the way”, but that ultimately parents, staff and students were able to see and appreciate the positive impact.
4. Choose the right school for your first headship
All of the Heads I spoke to referenced the importance of choosing a school that feels right for you, where you can see yourself leading and making a difference. Before becoming a headteacher in 2019, Mike had spent the previous five years seeking out roles that would give him the experience he needed to take on headship in a challenging context.
Hayley Cheeseman progressed to headship at her school because she already had ideas for improving it and was “desperate to steer the ship!” Although she had limited experience of KS1 at the time, she knew that her “passion, drive and ability and willingness to learn” were enough and she was ready for the commitment and responsibility.
Another headteacher chose to seek their first substantive headship where the “community and context matched [his] skillset”.
The lesson for aspiring Heads is to develop a sense of what your leadership looks like and seek a school that aligns with that vision. Another interviewee told me it’s important to “remember it’s a two-way process” and you should ask questions about the values, the vision and the support you will receive. Another noted the importance of picking a school where you’re “excited to lead […] somewhere you expect to be 5-10 years later”, which will sustain you even through periods of challenge.
Equally, any Head, whether aspiring or experienced, won’t know everything before joining a school or taking on the role, and new challenges and opportunities will emerge in post. Reflecting on his first steps as a school leader, Mike noted that not knowing everything was, in some ways, a benefit, resulting in a “helpful naivety” that gave him the confidence to take on the role and rise to meet challenges along the way.
You may never feel completely ready for headship
None of the headteachers I spoke to described reaching a point where they felt completely ready. Their routes into headship were different, but experience, the right school and support from others all played a part in taking that step.
As Hayley reflected when I asked what advice she’d give to an aspiring Head: “as Head Teachers we are not expected to know everything…you will never feel like you are ‘on top of it all’ – and that is okay”.
Eddie Caveziel Cox is Peridot’s Head of Schools & Academy Trusts Appointments. Having delivered hundreds of senior leadership and non-executive appointments to education providers, Eddie is an expert in finding leaders who make a tangible impact on communities. You can connect with him on Linkedin or send him an email to learn more.
