The work experiences of an assistant head of school

Abstract

Behind an excellent school lies an outstanding Head of School. For the Head of School to perform remarkably, there needs to be an equally performing leadership team. Assistant Heads of School are the silent partners in the leadership team of a school. This study investigates the working experience of Assistant Heads of School. It sheds light on their feelings, their duties and responsibilities, the challenges that they encounter, their professional development and their aspirations to become Heads of School. This qualitative research gives insights on the work experience of Assistant Heads. One-to-one, in-depth interviews were held with six Assistant Heads of six State Primary Schools from the island of Gozo. The findings highlight that Assistant Heads of School are an important asset to the effective running of a school. Yet, this fact is evidently undervalued and mostly unacknowledged. A day’s work brings with it a variety of emotions for Assistant Heads of School. They are exposed to an extensive range of responsibilities and duties, varying from managerial to clerical, and from executive to supervisory. Their challenges are several, such as unstructured work days, work overload, stress and frustration, lack of empowerment and lack of job mobility. Satisfying the demands of the job often comes at the expense of a healthy work-life balance. Data also reveals that, once appointed, Assistant Heads of School lack a structured professional development framework which would also be beneficial for their career. Instead they learn informally from the job. Furthermore, the majority of Assistant Heads of School interviewed did not aspire for Headship. The study also indicates that all Assistant Heads of School acknowledge the importance of a healthy professional relationship with the Head of School. Suggestions include that aspiring Assistant Heads of School should be supported before taking up the role. Moreover, their professional development should be structured throughout their Assistant Headship. This will help to nurture potential leaders that can take up the role of Heads of School.