Staff & headteacher recruitment

Adapt and use these questions, record sheet and interview tasks, along with tips on what to look for in a candidate's response, to help you select the best possible candidate for your role of assistant or deputy headteacher. Find questions specific to primary, secondary, special and faith schools.

Select from our recommended interview questions and tasks to make sure you cover everything you need to and put candidates' skills to the test effectively. Plus, get clarity on what you can't ask, to keep your process fair and compliant.

Find examples of good interview tasks and questions, so you can recruit your next clerk/governance professional with confidence.

Use our model job description and person specification to help you recruit for your next headteacher - it's based on the Headteachers' Standards 2020.

Understand the part your board plays in appointing headteachers, deputy headteachers and other members of staff in maintained schools and academies. Learn more about your safer recruitment responsibilities and how to remain strategic.

Recruiting a headteacher can feel like a daunting task. Read our top tips to make sure you attract the best candidates for your school and take our headteacher recruitment training module to be fully prepared.

If you haven't been able to find your new headteacher in the timeframe you'd planned, use our advice to help you prepare to try again.

Get up to speed on what you need to know about advertising for a new headteacher, including “good reasons” for not advertising at all and the safeguarding and equality requirements you need to comply with.

Learn what co-headship is and what you need to consider when deciding if it might be right for your school. Read about common co-headship models and find pointers for long-term success.

The process for appointing and setting pay for a deputy headteacher is nearly identical to that for a headteacher. Understand the step-by-step process for hiring new deputy heads, as well as how to pay acting deputy heads.

Read about your school's requirements and responsibilities for the statutory 2-year induction period for early career teachers (ECTs).