Preparing for headship: what to expect in an interview

Get an overview of the headteacher interview process and read top tips from our experts on how to prepare, so you can feel confident going into the recruitment process.

Last reviewed on 5 November 2021
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 36120
Contents
  1. How headship interviews differ
  2. Prepare for common questions and tasks 
  3. Do your research 
  4. Reflect on your experience

How headship interviews differ

Headship interviews are different from interviews for other positions because:

  • They are led by the governing board, not the headteacher
  • They are likely to involve a multi-stage process

The stages will involve a combination of tasks and an interview. Get more information about both of these below.

Prepare for common questions and tasks 

Headteacher recruitment usually involves much more than an interview. Schools will likely expect you to take part in at least 1 task during the recruitment process.

Common interview tasks include:

Take a look at our Interview questions and tasks to give you an idea