About this course

Are you ready to apply for a Deputy Headship in an Independent School?

What are the strengths you’ll bring to the role? and

What will you need to do differently?

This course is a must for any aspiring deputy head.  Deputy headship is one of the most multi-faceted roles in any industry, not just education.  To be effective you need through preparation and training, which this course will provide.    Not only will this enable you to take up a new post with confidence it will also equip you with the necessary ideas to succeed at interview.  The emphasis throughout the course is on providing practical and useful tips, focusing on real-life situations. 

 A complete overview of the many aspects of a deputy head’s role provides the backdrop to the course.  There’s a raft of whole school issues to take on board; unfamiliar curriculum areas for example or pastoral issues that might not yet have come your way.  Monitoring and evaluating students’ or staff performance, deputising for the head, dealing with the public – these will all come your way and those around you will depend on you being able to take these in your stride from day one.  This is followed by a look at how to secure the post in the first place, ranging from the application itself, through the selection processes and deciding whether you want the job or not!  The last session deals with a toolkit for personal success.  You’ll learn how to manage others and how to manage yourself. How to decide when and how to keep your distance and when to get involved.  We finish with a short exploration of the possible difficulties you might encounter.  These include dealing with difficult staff, unreasonable parents or driving change.

 Whether you see deputy headship as your career goal or as a step closer to headship, this course will inspire you and develop your existing skills further.

Course Outcomes:

• Enhance your understanding of the role of a deputy head within an independent school
• Enable you to apply successfully for your first deputy headship
• Give you the confidence to deal with the difficulties of the job at both an interview and as operational lead.
• Develop your skills to lead and manage others as well as managing your own workload

Course Outline:

The role of the Deputy Head

Whole School Issues explained & explored

Deputising for the Head – what this really/ might mean

The realists guide to Monitoring and Evaluating

Wider issues: Finance, the Law, PR

Getting the Job

The Application how to stand out on paper

Interview selling yourself and assessing the school

Post Interview Reflection identifying the challenges ahead (if you get the job) or what went wrong (if you didn’t)

Preparing for the role ideas as to what you can do before taking up post

Doing the Job

Leading and Managing others

Managing yourself more effectively: some new insights [and some] / together with old tricks of the trade

Being part of the Leadership Team

Dealing with Difficult Situations