Standard for Headship

Ambitious, Excellent Schools Standard for Headship was established in 1998 to provides a framework for a professional training programme for headship.

The purpose of the Standard is to define the leadership and management capabilities of headteachers. It defines the professional actions required of effective headteachers and acts as a template for aspiring headteachers to evaluate themselves against.

The Standard analyses the role of the headteacher into Professional actions and three essential elements:

• strategic vision, values and aims
• knowledge and understanding
• personal qualities and interpersonal skills

Professional actions of the headteacher are to:

• lead and manage learning and teaching
• lead and develop people
• lead change and improvement
• use resources effectively
• build community

Headteachers should provide vision, direction and high standards of education/care to enable children and young people to become:

• successful learners
• confident individuals
• responsible citizens
• effective contributors

More information is set out in the Scottish Executive Publication Ambitious, Excellent Schools Standard for Headship.

Routes

The Scottish Qualification for Headship is currently the only recognised route to achieving the Standard.

However, over the next few years, providers will be encouraged to develop alternative provision to enable teachers to meet the Standard.

The Scottish Executive published a Consultation Paper on revising the Standard for Headship Standard for Headship - Providing Choice and Alternatives a Consultation Document.

We are currently discussing these initiatives and will publish a response on our website in due course.