The Changing Role of the Head of Department

Managing and Leading staff: a vital element which the Head of Department must fulfil.

The inspectorate commented that ‘too many heads of department take the narrow view that their responsibility is for managing resources rather than people’ (Her Majesty 's Chief Inspector of Schools, 1997). Being able to lead and manage staff has become a vital role which the Head of Department must fulfil to create an effective and successful department. For many, however, managing staff and getting them to work together as a team, is one of the most difficult tasks they face (Busher & Harris, 2000; McClune, 2003). Therefore this paper will explore the role of the Head of Department as the manager and leader of staff within their department. It will discuss some of the issues that can occur and offer suggestions on how to overcome them. This paper will commence by briefly examining the context in which the middle management role of the Head of Department evolved and its importance in raising standards within a school. It will then discuss the creation of the National Standards for Subject Leaders as a guideline of the roles and responsibilities which a Head of Department should fulfil. The paper will proceed to look at three elements within the National Standards for Subject Leaders which a Head of Department should be implementing to effectively lead and manage their staff. The theoretical reasons for instigating these elements will be explored through relevant academic literature before discussing the practical issues which can occur when applying them, particularly within a small department. The paper will firstly address the importance of creating a collaborative working culture within a department. It shall explore some of the issues that can occur when attempting to cultivate and maintain this collaborative environment. It will then go on to discuss how devolving responsibilities and delegating tasks within the department can help to motivate and

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