Profession primary school head teacher

Primary school principals plan, direct, and coordinate the activities of public or private primary schools.

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Personality Type

• Enterprising / Conventional

Tasks primary school head teacher

• Establish and implement mission statements, policies and procedures.
• Set educational goals and standards.
• Manage and coordinate the educational, administrative and financial affairs of a school.
• Supervise staff, including managers, support staff, teachers, counselors, librarians, etc.
• Enforce discipline within the school.
• Confer with staff, e.g. to give them advise, explanations or answers to procedural questions.
• Evaluate teachers' work, e.g. by visiting classrooms, observing teaching methods, reviewing instructional objectives and examining learning materials.
• Manage staff recruitment and training.
• Supervise the maintenance of school facilities.
• Prepare reports on various subjects, including attendance, activity, planning or personnel records.
• Represent the school at meetings, e.g. meetings in the community.
• Promote the school, for example through publicity and contacts with other organizations.

Related professions primary teaching

• Primary school teacher
• Schoolchildren attendant
• Special needs teacher primary school
• Teacher assistant

Knowledge

• Primary school procedures

  The inner workings of a primary school, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, the policies, and the regulations.

• Pedagogy

  The discipline that concerns the theory and practice of education including the various instructional methods for educating individuals or groups.

• Project management

  Understand project management and the activities which comprise this area. Know the variables implied in project management such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.

• Education law

  The area of law and legislation that concerns education policies and the people working in the sector in an (inter)national context, such as teachers, students, and administrators.

• Curriculum standards

  The governmental policies concerning educational curricula and the approved curricula from specific educational institutions.

• Curriculum objectives

  The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.

Skills

• Guarantee students' safety

  Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.

• Assist in the organisation of school events

  Provide assistance in the planning and organisation of school events, such as the school's open house day, a sports game or a talent show.

• Liaise with educational staff

  Communicate with the school staff such as teachers, teaching assistants, academic advisors, and the principal on issues relating to students' well-being. In the context of a university, liaise with the technical and research staff to discuss research projects and courses-related matters.

• Liaise with shareholders

  Communicate and serve as communication point with shareholders in order to provide an overview on their investments, returns, and long-term plans of the company to increase profitability.

• Manage enrolment

  Decide on the number of available places and select pupils or students on the basis of set criteria and according to national legislation.

• Develop organisational policies

  Develop and supervise the implementation of policies aimed at documenting and detailing the procedures for the operations of the organisation in the lights of its strategic planning.

• Liaise with educational support staff

  Communicate with education management, such as the school principal and board members, and with the education support team such as the teaching assistant, school counsellor or academic advisor on issues relating the students' well-being.

• Show an exemplary leading role in an organisation

  Perform, act, and behave in a manner that inspires collaborators to follow the example given by their managers.

• Represent the organisation

  Act as representative of the institution, company or organisation to the outside world.

• Analyse staff capacity

  Evaluate and identify staffing gaps in quantity, skills, performance revenue and surpluses.

• Monitor educational developments

  Monitor the changes in educational policies, methodologies and research by reviewing relevant literature and liaising with education officials and institutions.

• Supervise educational staff

  Monitor and evaluate the actions of the educational staff such as teaching or research assistants and teachers and their methods. Mentor, train, and give advice to them if necessary.

• Cooperate with education professionals

  Communicate with teachers or other professionals working in education in order to identify needs and areas of improvement in education systems, and to establish a collaborative relationship.

• Present reports

  Display results, statistics and conclusions to an audience in a transparent and straightforward way.

• Write work-related reports

  Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.

• Manage staff

  Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.

• Apply for government funding

  Gather information on and apply for subsidies, grants, and other financing programmes provided by the government to small- and large-scale projects or organisations in various fields.

• Manage school budget

  Conduct cost estimates and budget planning from an educational institution or school. Monitor the school budget, as well as costs and expenses. Report on the budget.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB