Deputy head teacher

Deputy head teachers support the management duties of their school’s principals and are part of the school’s administrative staff. They update the head teacher on the daily operations and developments of the school. They implement and follow up on school guidelines, policies and curriculum activities introduced by the specific head teacher. They enforce school board protocol, supervise students and maintain discipline.

The following job titles also refer to deputy head teacher:

assistant head teacher
vice principal
assistant headteacher
deputy headmaster
deputy head
school deputy head
school deputy headmaster
assistant principal

Master’s degree is generally required to work as deputy head teacher. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Deputy head teacher is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to deputy head teacher.

nursery school head teacher
special educational needs head teacher
secondary school head teacher
primary school head teacher
secondary school department head

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of deputy head teacher. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of deputy head teacher with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of deputy head teacher.

Curriculum standards: The governmental policies concerning educational curricula and the approved curricula from specific educational institutions.
Education law: The area of law and legislation that concerns education policies and the people working in the sector in an (inter)national context, such as teachers, students, and administrators.
Project management: Understand project management and the activities which comprise this area. Know the variables implied in project management such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.
Pedagogy: The discipline that concerns the theory and practice of education including the various instructional methods for educating individuals or groups.
Curriculum objectives: The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.
Education administration: The processes related to the administrative areas of an education institution, its director, employees, and students.

These skills are necessary for the role of deputy head teacher.

Cooperate with education professionals: Communicate with teachers or other professionals working in education in order to identify needs and areas of improvement in education systems, and to establish a collaborative relationship.
Assist in the organisation of school events: Provide assistance in the planning and organisation of school events, such as the school’s open house day, a sports game or a talent show.
Guarantee students’ safety: Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.
Supervise educational staff: Monitor and evaluate the actions of the educational staff such as teaching or research assistants and teachers and their methods. Mentor, train, and give advice to them if necessary.
Provide education management support: Support the management of an education institution by directly assisting in the managerial duties or by providing information and guidance from your area of expertise to simplify the managerial tasks.
Maintain students’ discipline: Make sure students follow the rules and code of behaviour established in the school and take the appropriate measures in case of violation or misbehaviour.
Monitor educational developments: Monitor the changes in educational policies, methodologies and research by reviewing relevant literature and liaising with education officials and institutions.
Provide feedback to teachers: Communicate with the teacher in order to provide them with detailed feedback on their teaching performance, class management and curriculum adherence.
Write work-related reports: Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
Communicate with youth: Use verbal and non-verbal communication and communicate through writing, electronic means, or drawing. Adapt your communication to children and young people`s age, needs, characteristics, abilities, preferences, and culture.
Present reports: Display results, statistics and conclusions to an audience in a transparent and straightforward way.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of deputy head teacher. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Labour legislation: Legislation, on a national or international level, that governs labour conditions in various fields between labour parties such as the government, employees, employers, and trade unions.
Assessment processes: Various evaluation techniques, theories, and tools applicable in the assessment of students, participants in a programme, and employees. Different assessment strategies such as initial, formative, summative and self- assessment are used for varying purposes.
Funding methods: The financial possibilities for funding projects such as the traditional ones, namely loans, venture capital, public or private grants up to alternative methods such as crowdfunding.
Contract law: The field of legal principles that govern written agreements between parties concerning the exchange of goods or services, including contractual obligations and termination.
Primary school procedures: The inner workings of a primary school, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, the policies, and the regulations.
Learning technologies: The technologies and channels, including digital, to enhance learning.
Kindergarten school procedures: The inner workings of a kindergarten, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, policies, and regulations.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of deputy head teacher. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Manage government-funded programmes: Implement and monitor the development of projects subsidized by regional, national or European authorities.
Monitor student’s behaviour: Supervise the student’s social behaviour to discover anything unusual. Help solve any issues if necessary.
Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
Assess the development of youth: Evaluate the different aspects of development needs of children and young people.
Escort students on a field trip: Accompany students on an educational trip outside the school environment and ensure their safety and cooperation.
Evaluate education programmes: Evaluate ongoing training programmes and advise on potential optimisation.
Show an exemplary leading role in an organisation: Perform, act, and behave in a manner that inspires collaborators to follow the example given by their managers.
Prepare youths for adulthood: Work with children and young people to identify the skills and abilities they will need to become effective citizens and adults and to prepare them for independence.
Promote education programmes: Promote ongoing research into education and the development of new education programmes and policies in order to obtain support and funds, and to raise awareness.
Manage contracts: Negotiate the terms, conditions, costs and other specifications of a contract while making sure they comply with legal requirements and are legally enforceable. Oversee the execution of the contract, agree on and document any changes.
Advise on lesson plans: Analyse policy issues which impact on students’ experience of education. Advise on the ways in which lesson plans for specific lessons can be improved in order to reach education goals, engage the students and adhere to the curriculum.
Manage student admissions: Assess students’ applications and manage correspondence with them concerning their admission, or rejection, pursuant to the regulations of the school, university or other educational organisation. This also includes obtaining educational information, such as personal records, on the student. File the paperwork of the admitted students.
Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
Liaise with board members: Report to the management, boards of directors and committees of an organisation.
Apply for government funding: Gather information on and apply for subsidies, grants, and other financing programmes provided by the government to small- and large-scale projects or organisations in various fields.
Secondary school procedures: The inner workings of a secondary school, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, the policies, and the regulations.
Analyse staff capacity: Evaluate and identify staffing gaps in quantity, skills, performance revenue and surpluses.
Create a financial report: Finalise project accounting. Prepare an actual budget, compare the discrepancy between the planned and actual budget, and draw final conclusions.
Advise on teaching methods: Advise education professionals on the proper adaptation of curricula in lesson plans, classroom management, professional conduct as a teacher, and other activities and methods related to teaching.
Maintain relations with children’s parents: Inform children`s parents of the activities planned, program`s expectations and children`s individual progress.
Lead inspections: Lead inspections and the protocol involved, such as introducing the inspection team, explaining the purpose of the inspection, performing the inspection, requesting documents, asking appropriate questions, and maintaining a high level of professionalism when investigating subjects.

1345 – Education managers

 

 

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References

1. Deputy head teacher – ESCO