How to Become a Head of Department

Published

22 December 2025

Contents

Becoming a Head of Department (HoD) is a natural next step for teachers who want to shape curriculum, support colleagues, and make a wider impact beyond their own classroom.

While the role can seem daunting from the outside, the pathway is clearer and more achievable than many teachers realise.

This article breaks down what schools are looking for, how to build the right experience while still teaching, and how to prepare a strong application when you are ready to take the next step.

Key Takeaways

A HoD leads subject curriculum, supports staff, and drives improvement across their subject area.
Schools look for evidence of leadership, impact, communication, teamwork and curriculum expertise.
You do not need a formal leadership title to build experience as informal leadership within your department is highly valued.
A strong application highlights clear examples of measurable impact, subject leadership and your readiness to lead a team.

What Is a Head of Department?

In UK secondary schools, a HoD is the middle leader responsible for the overall direction, quality, and performance of a subject area.

Their role centres on shaping the curriculum, ensuring high-quality teaching, overseeing assessment practices, and supporting the professional development of staff within the department. HoDs monitor pupil progress, lead subject-specific improvement strategies, and ensure that teaching aligns with national guidance and whole-school priorities.

HoDs also play a vital role in creating a positive team culture. They lead department meetings, guide colleagues through change, and make strategic decisions about pedagogy, resourcing, and subject development. The Department for Education’s (DfE) Teachers’ Standards (opens in a new tab) note that leaders should “promote high standards of teaching and learning”, a principle that sits at the core of effective departmental leadership.

In short, the HoD acts as both the academic lead for their subject and the main point of support for the staff who teach it, ensuring that pupils experience a coherent, ambitious, and well-taught curriculum.

Why Become a Head of Department?

Teachers pursue HoD roles for many reasons, often linked to making a wider contribution to school improvement.

The Education Endowment Foundation (opens in a new tab) notes that high-quality leadership “creates the conditions under which teachers can improve their practice and pupils can thrive.” Therefore, leading a department gives you the opportunity to influence curriculum, mentor staff, and drive progress across all year groups.

Common motivations include:

Shaping the strategic direction of the curriculum, ensuring it is coherent, ambitious, and well-sequenced.
Supporting and developing colleagues, helping to build confidence, consistency, and strong teaching practice across the team.
Improving pupil outcomes on a larger scale, using assessment and monitoring to raise attainment across a whole key stage or subject area.
Building leadership experience, laying the foundation for future progression into roles such as Assistant Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher.

What Experience Do You Need?

There is no set checklist, but successful applicants show evidence of subject leadership, collaboration, initiative, and impact. Many teachers already demonstrate these skills informally without holding a formal title. This section highlights some of the practical ways you can build this experience while still in the classroom.

Leading Within Your Department

The Chartered College of Teaching (opens in a new tab) highlights that teacher leadership begins in the classroom and grows through collaboration, reinforcing that leadership is not limited to formal roles. You can therefore build leadership experience in practical, attainable ways, such as:

Mentoring trainees or early-career teachers (opens in a new tab) and supporting their development through feedback, modelling, and co-planning.
Leading a scheme of work or a sequence of lessons, ensuring progression, consistency, and high-quality delivery.
Designing high-quality shared resources that improve teaching across the department and reduce workload for colleagues.
Delivering departmental CPD or sharing effective practice, whether in meetings, briefings, or informal coaching sessions.
Co-ordinating revision techniques or intervention programmes, using assessment information to target support where it is most needed.

Taking on Whole-School Responsibilities

Schools value teachers who can think beyond their own subject. This is because middle leaders need to understand whole-school priorities, contribute to wider improvement work, and collaborate effectively with colleagues across different departments.

Demonstrating that you can operate at this broader level shows that you are ready to take on greater responsibility and influence. Therefore, to develop whole-school experience, you could consider taking part in:

Whole-school teaching and learning projects, such as developing effective feedback approaches, shaping consistent pedagogical strategies, or supporting staff to embed new Ofsted curriculum or assessment expectations.
Cross-department working groups, including literacy, behaviour, tutoring, assessment, or curriculum review groups.
Enrichment or cross-curricular initiatives, such as transition programmes, careers events, or themed curriculum days.
Reviewing or contributing to key policies, such as marking, homework, assessment, or curriculum models, offering subject-informed insights.

Taking on these responsibilities demonstrates strategic awareness, adaptability, and the ability to work collaboratively with staff across the school, which are all qualities that strengthen your readiness for a HoD role.

Developing the Right Skills

Schools look for a combination of interpersonal, organisational, and subject-specific leadership skills. The DfE’s National Professional Qualifications (opens in a new tab) (NPQs) describe effective middle leaders as individuals who “lead teaching, develop others and implement improvement priorities with clarity and purpose.”

These leadership expectations closely match those of a HoD. This section will outline the key skills schools value and explain how you can develop them in practical, realistic ways.

Communication and Team Management

Effective HoDs communicate clearly, listen actively, and support colleagues with professionalism and empathy. Strong communication is essential for leading a team, resolving concerns, and ensuring everyone understands the department’s priorities. You can demonstrate these skills by:

Giving constructive, actionable feedback that helps colleagues improve their practice.
Leading meetings or small teams with clarity and purpose.
Supporting colleagues through challenges, whether pedagogical or pastoral.
Building positive, trusting working relationships across the department.
Modelling calm, confident leadership, especially during busy periods or change.

Demonstrating these behaviours shows that you can guide a team, maintain a supportive culture, and lead the department effectively.

Curriculum and Assessment Expertise

Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework (opens in a new tab) (EIF) emphasises that high-quality curriculum leadership rests on “a clear understanding of how the curriculum is structured and why it is designed that way.” Being able to articulate this, both in writing and during interview, will significantly strengthen your application and show that you can lead your subject with vision and clarity.

As the academic lead for a subject, a HoD must be able to shape the curriculum, understand progression, and use assessment intelligently. Schools therefore look for candidates who can demonstrate:

A strong grasp of curriculum progression and how knowledge builds over time.
Confidence analysing assessment data to identify patterns, gaps, and next steps.
Awareness of exam board requirements and how these influence planning and teaching.
The ability to evaluate teaching and learning, identifying strengths and areas for development.

How to Prepare a Strong Application

Your application should demonstrate what you have achieved, how you have led, and the measurable difference you have made. Schools value real impact over ambition alone. This section will explain how to present your experience effectively and show the evidence that proves you are ready for departmental leadership.

Highlighting Impact and Leadership

Your application should demonstrate not only what you have done, but the difference your work has made. Schools value real, measurable impact over general statements of ambition. This means using specific examples that show how your actions improved teaching, learning, or outcomes in your department. For example, a strong letter of application may include statements such as:

Improving pupil outcomes - “After redesigning the Year 8 scheme of work to improve sequencing and retrieval practice, the proportion of students achieving their target grade rose from 62% to 78%.”
Raising Progress 8 contributions in your subject - “By introducing a structured intervention programme for borderline students, our department’s Progress 8 score increased from +0.1 to +0.35.”
Developing colleagues - “Providing targeted coaching for an ECT improved their lesson observation outcomes from ‘developing’ to ‘secure’ within one term.”
Enhancing curriculum consistency - “I created shared assessment resources that reduced workload by 30% and improved marking consistency across the team.”

All of these statements focus on what you actually achieved and the evidence behind it, which is exactly what schools want to see when appointing someone to a leadership role.

When writing your letter of application, focus on clear actions and results. Phrases such as “As a result…,” “This led to…,” and “This improved…” help demonstrate leadership and impact effectively.

Addressing the Interview Panel

In interviews, schools want to understand how you think, how you lead, and how you would contribute to whole-school improvement. Strong answers remain practical, pupil-focused, and grounded in evidence.

Panels typically want to hear:

A clear, realistic vision for the department.
How you would support and develop colleagues.
How you would use curriculum and assessment to drive improvement.
How you would handle challenge or conflict.
How your leadership aligns with the school’s values.

Here are some common interview questions and examples of strong responses:

“What is your vision for the department?” A strong answer focuses on curriculum, consistency, and outcomes: “My vision is for a coherent, well-sequenced curriculum supported by consistent pedagogy and high expectations. I want students to develop a genuine love for the subject, to become confident, long-term learners who understand how their knowledge builds over time. For staff, my vision would be to ensure they feel well-supported, with the training, resources, and collaborative structures they need to teach effectively.”
“How would you support a colleague who is struggling?” Interviewers want to hear empathy and accountability: “I would begin with a supportive conversation to understand the challenges they are facing. Together, we would agree clear next steps, such as coaching, co-planning or lesson visits. I would monitor progress carefully while maintaining a supportive, developmental approach.”
“How do you use data to improve outcomes?” Highlight practical actions such as:
“I analyse assessment trends to identify misconceptions and curriculum gaps. For example, after noticing weak performance in algebraic notation, we introduced a retrieval cycle that improved end-of-unit scores by 15%.”
“How would you lead change in your department?” Show that you can take people with you: “Effective change begins with shared understanding. I would communicate the rationale clearly, gather staff views, pilot changes where possible, and evaluate impact before scaling up.”

Demonstrating clarity, impact, and a people-centred approach will reassure the interview panel that you can lead a department with confidence and purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be an expert in my subject to be a Head of Department?

You need strong subject knowledge and the confidence to lead teaching and learning, but you do not need to know everything. What matters most is your ability to guide the curriculum, support colleagues, and make informed decisions that improve outcomes.

Can I become a Head of Department without prior leadership experience?

Yes. Formal titles are helpful but not essential. What matters is evidence of initiative, collaboration and the ability to influence teaching and learning.

How long should I teach before applying for a HoD role?

Most teachers apply after several years of experience, but there is no fixed requirement. If you can demonstrate impact and leadership potential, you may be ready sooner than expected.

Do I need extra qualifications to become a HoD?

Not necessarily. Qualifications such as the NPQ in Leading Teaching (opens in a new tab) are valuable, but schools place greater emphasis on experience, impact, and leadership capability.

Final Thoughts

Becoming a HoD is a journey built on proactive steps, reflection, and a commitment to improving teaching and learning. Many successful HoDs began by taking small leadership opportunities within their classroom or department such as mentoring a colleague, shaping a unit of work, or contributing to whole-school initiatives.

By seeking out these experiences and demonstrating clear impact, you can steadily build the skills and confidence needed for departmental leadership. With purposeful development and a clear vision, the move into a Head of Department role becomes both achievable and rewarding.