Employing headteachers in Scotland

Who can be employed as a headteacher in Scotland

Since 2020 it has been a legal requirement for teachers taking up their first permanent headteacher post in local authority and grant-aided schools to hold the Standard for Headship. 

This became a prerequisite on 1 August 2020, under the Head Teachers Education and Training Standards (Scotland) Regulations, 2019.

Read about the requirements and routes to holding the Standard for Headship.

Exemptions

There are three exemptions:

1. Permanent headteachers who were appointed to a position in a school on, or prior to, 1 August 2020.
2. After 1 August 2020, education authorities, or the mangers of grant-aided schools, can temporarily appoint an individual who has not attained the Standard for Headship to headteacher post for a period of no more than 30 months.
3. At present, teachers appointed to headteacher posts in independent schools are not required to hold the Standard for Headship.

Qualified outside Scotland candidates

If you are an employer considering a candidate who qualified outside Scotland for a headteacher post, please ensure they have or are eligible for Full (General) Registration as a teacher, and that the Register shows that they hold the Standard for Headship.

Use Search the Register

If you have any queries, please email gtcs@gtcs.org.uk with the subject line ‘Standard for Headship’.