Assistant/deputy headteacher: interview questions

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.

Last reviewed on 30 November 2023
School types: AllSchool phases: PrimaryRef: 3441
Contents
  1. Use the interview to check they’re right for your school
  2. How to use our questions 
  3. Questions you’re not allowed to ask

Use the interview to check they’re right for your school

By the time you're interviewing candidates, you may already have a good idea of their competencies through their:

  • Application form and CV
  • References
  • Interview tasks

The interview is your chance to make sure they’re right for your school.

How to use our questions 

Our list of questions is from our sister service, The Key Leaders, and is suitable for any deputy/ assistant headteacher post. We've also given tips for what to look for in a candidate's answers.

In the download, you'll find:

  • General questions for any school type
  • Tailored questions for primary, secondary, special and faith schools 

Be sure to personalise our example questions to the role you're recruiting for, your school and any issues your school is facing  Don’t treat our ‘what to look for’ column as a checklist – candidates' answers will vary based on their experiences There are many questions in our list, so