Articles / Leadership Jobs in Education: A Comprehensive Guide to Senior Roles in UK Schools
LeadershipDiscover leadership jobs in education across the UK, including headteacher positions, MAT CEO roles, and local authority directorships. Explore salaries, qualifications, and career pathways.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Sun 4th January 2026
The landscape of educational leadership in the United Kingdom has transformed considerably over the past decade. The proliferation of multi-academy trusts, the evolving expectations placed upon school leaders, and the increasing complexity of educational governance have created a diverse ecosystem of leadership opportunities that extends far beyond the traditional headteacher role.
For ambitious educators seeking to shape the future of learning at a strategic level, understanding this terrain is essential. Whether you aspire to lead a single school community or oversee a network of academies, the pathways to educational leadership demand careful navigation, intentional development, and a clear understanding of what these roles truly entail.
The hierarchy of educational leadership in the UK encompasses a spectrum of positions, each carrying distinct responsibilities, authority levels, and remuneration packages.
Assistant Headteacher roles typically represent the first rung on the senior leadership ladder. These positions involve cross-school responsibilities, often focusing on specific areas such as curriculum development, teaching and learning, or pastoral care. Assistant headteachers work closely with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, contributing to strategic planning whilst maintaining some teaching commitments.
Deputy Headteacher positions carry significantly broader responsibilities. Deputies often oversee substantial operational areas including staff management, student welfare, and curriculum implementation. In the absence of the headteacher, deputies assume overall leadership responsibility, making this role both demanding and developmental.
Headteacher or Principal positions represent the apex of single-school leadership. Headteachers bear ultimate accountability for academic outcomes, financial management, staff performance, and safeguarding. They serve as the public face of their institution, engaging with governors, parents, local authorities, and the wider community.
Executive Headteacher roles emerged from the federation model, where a single leader assumes responsibility for two or more schools. These positions demand the ability to balance strategic oversight with operational awareness across multiple contexts, often managing distinct school cultures and communities simultaneously.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) positions within multi-academy trusts represent the corporate leadership tier of educational governance. MAT CEOs hold accounting officer responsibilities to Parliament and the Education and Skills Funding Agency, leading executive teams across potentially dozens of schools. This role requires a fundamentally different skill set from traditional headship, blending educational expertise with corporate governance capability.
Director of Education roles exist both within MATs and local authorities. These positions focus on educational strategy, school improvement, and quality assurance across multiple settings. Directors of Education typically report to CEOs or council leadership, carrying responsibility for pupil outcomes without the operational management burden of individual schools.
Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) roles, whilst not always classified alongside traditional senior leadership, increasingly carry significant strategic responsibility. The growing complexity of SEND provision and heightened regulatory scrutiny have elevated this position within school hierarchies.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Operations Officer (COO) positions within MATs handle the non-educational strategic functions essential to trust operation. These roles require professional qualifications in finance or operations management rather than teaching backgrounds.
There exists no prescribed route to educational leadership, yet certain trajectories prove more common than others. The journey typically spans a decade or more, progressing through clearly identifiable stages.
Most educational leaders begin as classroom teachers, developing pedagogical expertise and building credibility within their subject or phase specialism. During this period, taking on additional responsibilities such as form tutoring, coordinating extra-curricular activities, or leading working groups establishes foundational leadership experience.
The transition to middle leadership typically involves assuming responsibility for a department, subject area, or year group. Head of Department or Phase Leader positions develop crucial skills in line management, resource allocation, and quality assurance. Success at this level demonstrates capacity for broader leadership responsibilities.
National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) become relevant at this stage. The NPQ for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) prepares middle leaders for transition to senior positions, whilst specialist NPQs in areas such as Leading Behaviour and Culture or Leading Teaching address specific competency development.
Assistant headteacher positions mark entry to senior leadership, bringing involvement in whole-school strategy and cross-functional responsibility. Deputy headship follows, often serving as the final preparation for headship whilst providing the breadth of experience governing bodies seek in headteacher candidates.
The average age for first headship sits in the mid-forties, though some educators achieve this milestone considerably earlier. The National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) is no longer mandatory since 2012, yet remains highly valued by appointment panels. The 18-month programme, costing approximately £1,855 for self-funded participants, develops the strategic, operational, and governance capabilities headship demands.
For those seeking broader impact, executive headship or MAT leadership represents the next horizon. The transition from headteacher to CEO proves more challenging than many anticipate, requiring fundamental shifts in leadership approach from operational to strategic, from direct to distributed.
Remuneration in educational leadership reflects role complexity, school context, and geographic location. The Leadership Pay Scale provides the framework, though academies and independent schools may set their own terms.
The government has accepted a 4% pay award for all teachers and leaders in England for 2025-26. The following tables present current salary bands.
| Role | England (excl. London) | Inner London | Outer London | London Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Headteacher (L1-L5) | £47,185 - £52,301 | £56,377 - £61,882 | £51,082 - £56,480 | £48,530 - £53,705 |
| Deputy Headteacher (L8-L16) | £55,360 - £68,400 | £64,553 - £77,593 | £59,258 - £72,298 | £56,705 - £69,745 |
| Headteacher | £58,569 - £143,795 | £68,359 - £153,488 | £62,677 - £147,864 | £60,000 - £145,216 |
Headteacher salaries are determined by school group, reflecting pupil numbers and school characteristics.
| Group | Salary Range (England excl. London) |
|---|---|
| Group 1 | £58,569 - £74,283 |
| Group 2 | £61,882 - £80,939 |
| Group 3 | £65,010 - £88,530 |
| Group 4 | £68,400 - £96,310 |
| Group 5 | £74,283 - £105,564 |
| Group 6 | £80,939 - £117,287 |
| Group 7 | £88,530 - £130,755 |
| Group 8 | £96,310 - £143,795 |
Executive headteacher salaries typically range from £78,000 to £120,000+, depending on federation size and complexity. High-profile federations have paid considerably more; one executive headteacher leading eight LA-maintained primaries reportedly earned over £330,000 annually.
MAT CEO salaries vary enormously based on trust size. Small trusts may offer £80,000-£100,000, whilst large trusts with numerous schools frequently exceed £150,000. The highest-paid MAT CEOs command salaries approaching £300,000.
Directors of Education in local authorities average approximately £79,000-£82,000, though senior positions in major authorities can exceed £100,000.
All school-based leadership roles require Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or equivalent. This foundation ensures leaders possess the pedagogical understanding necessary for educational decision-making.
The NPQ framework provides structured development pathways:
| Qualification | Target Audience | Duration | Cost (Self-funded) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NPQSL (Senior Leadership) | Aspiring senior leaders | 18 months | £885 + VAT |
| NPQLBC (Leading Behaviour and Culture) | Behaviour leads | 12 months | £895 + VAT |
| NPQH (Headship) | Aspiring/new headteachers | 18 months | £1,855 + VAT |
| NPQEL (Executive Leadership) | Aspiring MAT leaders | 18 months | Variable |
Scholarship funding covers NPQ costs for teachers in eligible state-funded schools, with priority given to settings with high proportions of pupil premium students.
CFO positions within MATs typically require accounting qualifications (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) alongside understanding of educational finance regulations. COO roles benefit from operations management qualifications and experience in complex organisational settings.
Governing bodies increasingly value evidence of ongoing professional development. Masters degrees in Educational Leadership, MBA programmes with educational focus, and executive education from institutions such as the UCL Institute of Education strengthen candidacies for senior roles.
TES Jobs (tes.com/jobs) remains the dominant platform for educational recruitment. Leadership positions across all regions and phases appear here, with robust search functionality allowing filtering by salary, location, and role type.
Local Government Jobs (jobs.localgov.co.uk) lists local authority education positions, including Director of Education and advisory roles.
WMJobs serves the West Midlands specifically, hosting numerous school leadership vacancies from the region's schools and trusts.
Specialist education recruitment consultancies handle many senior appointments, particularly for executive and CEO positions:
Many MATs advertise leadership positions directly through their websites. Monitoring trusts whose values and approach align with your own provides early access to emerging opportunities.
Local authority websites list council education roles, whilst the GOV.UK Teaching Vacancies service provides a free national platform for state school positions.
Membership organisations including the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), and Confederation of School Trusts (CST) provide job boards, networking opportunities, and intelligence on emerging vacancies.
Multi-academy trusts have created entirely new leadership ecosystems. Understanding the typical MAT hierarchy proves essential for those targeting trust-level positions.
Members serve as constitutional guardians, analogous to company shareholders. Trustees provide strategic governance, equivalent to a corporate board. The CEO leads the executive function, accountable to trustees for educational outcomes, financial compliance, and operational effectiveness.
Below the CEO, structures vary considerably. Common executive team roles include:
The typical trajectory sees headteachers progress to executive headship, overseeing multiple schools whilst building strategic capability. From executive headship, transition to CEO becomes possible, though the shift from operational to corporate leadership challenges many.
MAT boards increasingly seek candidates with demonstrated capacity for system leadership, partnership working, and financial acumen. Experience of school improvement work, whether through formal consultancy or informal support arrangements, strengthens candidacies.
Despite academisation reducing LA school involvement, local authorities retain significant educational responsibilities including SEND provision, school place planning, and safeguarding oversight.
Director of Education or Director of Children's Services positions represent the pinnacle of LA educational leadership. These roles demand understanding of both educational practice and local government operation, balancing political accountability with professional independence.
LA positions typically offer defined benefit pension schemes (Local Government Pension Scheme) and job security, potentially attractive to those wary of the less certain MAT employment landscape.
You must hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and typically require several years of experience at senior leadership level, such as deputy headship. The National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) is recommended but no longer mandatory since 2012. Governing bodies value evidence of successful school improvement, strong safeguarding knowledge, and financial management capability. Most headteachers accumulate 10-15 years of teaching and leadership experience before their first headship appointment.
Headteacher salaries range from £58,569 to £153,488 depending on school size, location, and complexity. Schools are placed into eight pay groups based on pupil numbers and characteristics. Inner London headteachers earn the highest salaries, with the Group 8 maximum reaching £153,488. Outside London, Group 8 heads can earn up to £143,795. The 2025-26 pay award increased all leadership salaries by 4%.
A headteacher leads a single school, bearing responsibility for all aspects of that institution. An executive headteacher leads multiple schools, typically within a federation or multi-academy trust, providing strategic oversight across all settings. Executive heads manage through headteachers or heads of school at individual sites, focusing on system-wide improvement rather than daily operations. Executive headteacher salaries typically exceed single-school headship, reflecting the increased scope and complexity.
TES Jobs (tes.com/jobs) provides the most comprehensive listings, allowing regional filtering. Local authority websites list council education positions directly. Multi-academy trusts advertise on their websites, so identifying trusts operating in your area proves valuable. Professional associations including NAHT and ASCL maintain job boards for members. Specialist recruitment agencies such as Hays Education and Peridot Partners handle confidential searches for senior roles.
The National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) is an 18-month programme developing the knowledge and skills required for headship. Delivered by DfE-approved providers including UCL, Ambition Institute, and Best Practice Network, the programme costs approximately £1,855 for self-funded participants, with scholarship funding available for eligible schools. Whilst no longer mandatory, NPQH demonstrates commitment to leadership development and provides structured preparation that appointment panels value.
Multi-academy trust CEOs lead the executive function of academy trusts, accountable to trustees for educational outcomes, financial compliance, and organisational effectiveness. As accounting officer, the CEO holds personal responsibility to Parliament for proper use of public funds. Salaries vary enormously by trust size: small trusts offer £80,000-£100,000, mid-sized trusts £100,000-£150,000, and large trusts exceeding 30 schools may pay £200,000 or more. The role requires fundamentally different capabilities from headship, emphasising strategic leadership, governance, and system management.
Whilst unusual, direct progression from assistant headteacher to headteacher is possible, particularly for smaller primary schools or special schools experiencing recruitment difficulties. However, deputy headship provides invaluable preparation, developing the breadth of experience governing bodies typically seek. Acting headship during deputy tenures demonstrates readiness without requiring a permanent deputy position. The average first-time headteacher age of mid-forties suggests most follow traditional progression routes.
The education leadership landscape continues evolving, with new trust formations, changing government policy, and demographic shifts reshaping opportunity structures. Those aspiring to leadership roles benefit from remaining informed about sector developments whilst building the capabilities these demanding positions require.