What does a headteacher do?

Headteacher responsibilities — vision, safeguarding, Ofsted, budgets, staff and community leadership.

The headteacher is legally and professionally accountable for everything that happens in a school. Understand the real scope of the role.

What this guide covers

This guide is written for anyone working — or looking to work — in a UK school. Read it alongside our full What does a teaching assistant do? guide and the wider career advice hub.

The basics

Before anything else, get the fundamentals right. Most people underestimate how much the UK school system is standardised — pay follows the STPCD or the NJC Green Book, safeguarding follows KCSIE, and recruitment follows safer-recruitment practice.

Know the statutory framework that applies to your role.
Know the school's phase, size and Ofsted context.
Know how the role connects to the wider staffing structure.

Step by step

Work through these steps in order:

Research the school. Read the Ofsted report, the SEF/website, and — where available — the staff list on the school profile.
Match to the person specification. Every UK school application is judged against the person spec. See our guide on supporting statement structure for the exact approach.
Prepare evidence. Concrete examples beat general claims every time.
Rehearse safeguarding language. Panels are trained to test this — read our safeguarding interview questions guide.
Follow up. A short, professional email after interview keeps you visible.

Common mistakes to avoid

Generic applications. Every school is different. Tailor every paragraph.
Ignoring safeguarding. Any answer that doesn't mention pupil welfare where relevant is a red flag.
Weak evidence. "I am passionate about" isn't evidence. "In my previous role I led X and outcomes moved from Y to Z" is.
No follow-through. People who make it to shortlist and then stop preparing are the ones who lose out to those who don't.

Next steps

When you're ready to apply, search live UK school jobs or find a specific employer in the schools directory or the academy trusts directory. If you're actively job-hunting, set up a job alert so new roles land in your inbox.