Headteacher
Leads a whole school: vision, staff, finances, discipline, community relationships and accountability for learners’ results.
What the job involves
A headteacher leads a whole school: the quality of teaching, the conduct and welfare of learners, the staff, the money, the buildings and the school's relationship with parents and the district. The post carries final accountability for what learners achieve and for how the school is run.
Where the work is
Public, government-aided and private schools at primary and secondary level, and technical schools, in every district. The responsibilities are the same in a two-stream rural school and a large urban one; the scale and the support available are not.
How people get into it
Headteachers are appointed from among experienced teachers who have already led part of a school, most often as deputy headteacher in charge of studies or discipline, or as a head of department with wider responsibilities. Selection normally involves a written test and an interview.
Guides for this position
- Exam guide
What the headteacher written test covers: leadership and management, curriculum and assessment, staff supervision, school finance, community relations and policy.
- Practice questions
Headteacher practice questions with answers: leadership, staff supervision, assessment, discipline and school management scenarios from a real paper.
- Interview questions
Headteacher interview questions with model answers: improving results, weak teaching, budgets, parents, discipline and leading staff you once taught beside.
- 30-day study plan
A 30-day headteacher study plan covering leadership, curriculum and assessment, staff supervision, finance and community relations, with two timed mocks.
- Skills and qualifications
Skills a headteacher needs: leadership and planning, staff management, curriculum oversight, financial control, communication and accountability.
- Job description
A headteacher job description: leadership and planning, teaching quality, staff, learners, finance and property, community relations, and how performance is judged.
- How to become one
How to become a headteacher in Rwanda: teaching qualifications, leadership experience, further study, the selection process and preparing properly.
- Mistakes to avoid
Mistakes that cost headteacher candidates marks: acting alone, skipping evidence, bending rules for good reasons, and forgetting learners in management answers.
- Key topics
Key topics for headteacher candidates with quick reference on assessment types and levels of thinking, and how they connect to leading a school.
- CV guide
How to write a headteacher CV: showing leadership responsibility, school improvement results, management experience and the evidence panels verify.
What to study for this position
The suggested emphasis reflects what this position works with day to day. It is a study guide, not a published exam blueprint.
| Area | Suggested emphasis | Questions in the bank | Practise |
|---|---|---|---|
| School leadership, curriculum and assessment | 100% | 50 | Deputy Headteacher (DOS) |
50 questions in the bank cover these areas.
Open adverts for this position
No open Headteacher advert matched when the jobs board was last checked. It is refreshed every morning.
Practise
- MIFOTRA Deputy Headteacher in Charge of Studies · The real past paper for school leadership posts, with worked answers.