Primary school head teachers manage the day-to-day activities of a primary school or elementary school. They manage staff, make decisions concerning admissions and are responsible for meeting curriculum standards, which are age-appropriate for primary school students and facilitate social and academic development education. They also ensure the school meets the national education requirements set by law.
The following job titles also refer to primary school head teacher:
primary education head teacher
primary school headteacher
primary school headmaster
head teacher of primary school
primary school director
headteacher of primary school
headmaster of primary school
primary education headteacher
primary school principal
director of primary school
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.
Primary school head teacher is a Skill level 4 occupation.
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of primary school 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 primary school head teacher with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of primary school 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. 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. 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.
These skills are necessary for the role of primary school 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. Represent the organisation: Act as representative of the institution, company or organisation to the outside world. Develop organisational policies: Develop and supervise the implementation of policies aimed at documenting and detailing the procedures for the operations of the organisation in the lights of its strategic planning. Manage staff: Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff. Manage school budget: Conduct cost estimates and budget planning from an educational institution or school. Monitor the school budget, as well as costs and expenses. Report on the budget. Liaise with educational support staff: Communicate with education management, such as the school principal and board members, and with the education support team such as the teaching assistant, school counsellor or academic advisor on issues relating the students’ well-being. 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. Monitor educational developments: Monitor the changes in educational policies, methodologies and research by reviewing relevant literature and liaising with education officials and institutions. Liaise with shareholders: Communicate and serve as communication point with shareholders in order to provide an overview on their investments, returns, and long-term plans of the company to increase profitability. 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. Manage enrolment: Decide on the number of available places and select pupils or students on the basis of set criteria and according to national legislation. 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. Present reports: Display results, statistics and conclusions to an audience in a transparent and straightforward way. Analyse staff capacity: Evaluate and identify staffing gaps in quantity, skills, performance revenue and surpluses. Liaise with educational staff: Communicate with the school staff such as teachers, teaching assistants, academic advisors, and the principal on issues relating to students’ well-being. In the context of a university, liaise with the technical and research staff to discuss research projects and courses-related matters.
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of primary school 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. Trade union regulations: The compilation of legal agreements and practices for operations of trade unions. Legal scope of trade unions in their quest of protecting the rights and minimum working standards of workers. 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. Learning technologies: The technologies and channels, including digital, to enhance learning.
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of primary school head teacher. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
Assess the development of youth: Evaluate the different aspects of development needs of children and young people. Observe student’s progress: Follow up on students’ learning progress and assess their achievements and needs. 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. Assess employees’ capability levels: Evaluate the capabilities of employees by creating criteria and systematic testing methods for measuring expertise of individuals within an organisation. Recruit employees: Hire new employees by scoping the job role, advertising, performing interviews and selecting staff in line with company policy and legislation. Arrange parent teacher conference: Set up joined and individual meetings with students’ parents to discuss their child’s academic progress and general well-being. 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. 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. Identify education needs: Identify the needs of students, organisations and companies in terms of provision of education in order to aid in the development of curricula and education policies. Manage resources for educational purposes: Identify the necessary resources needed for learning purposes, such as materials in class or arranged transportation for a field trip. Apply for the corresponding budget and follow up on the orders. Manage space utilisation: Oversee the design and development of a plan for space and facility allocation that is based on user’s needs and priorities. Lead board meetings: Set the date, prepare the agenda, make sure the required materials are provided and preside over the meetings of the decision-making body of an organization. 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. 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. Manage maintenance operations: Oversee maintenance activities, making sure that staff is following procedures and ensuring routine and periodic refurbishment and maintenance activities. 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. Administer exams: Set the dates and policies for the exam session and make sure all accommodations and materials are provided. 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.
