Deputy Headteacher Application Guide
What Deputy Head panels look for — portfolio leadership, SLT contribution, headship readiness — with worked evidence.
**TL;DR.** Deputy Headteacher is the second-most senior role in most schools, typically holding a portfolio (curriculum, behaviour, assessment, inclusion, or strategic) and deputising for the Head. Panels expect SLT contribution, portfolio leadership, and evidence of readiness to progress to headship.
Worked paragraph (Deputy Head, curriculum portfolio, 200 words)
*Portfolio leadership (essential).* As Assistant Head with curriculum portfolio for 24 months I led the redesign of the Year 7 curriculum in response to the school's SEND Ofsted recommendation (Inadequate SEND provision in 2023). I worked with the SENDCO to embed scaffolded access to the full curriculum, commissioned whole-school INSET on adaptive teaching, and restructured the Year 7 timetable to preserve subject specialist teaching while creating protected intervention windows. The subsequent Section 8 inspection rated SEND as Good. I am now ready to take on the broader remit of Deputy with line management of middle leadership and continued responsibility for curriculum strategy.
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Frequently asked questions
What portfolio should a Deputy Head hold?
Portfolios vary by school. Common portfolios: curriculum and assessment; behaviour and pastoral; inclusion and SEND; teaching and learning; quality assurance. The advert specifies the portfolio — apply to roles that match your track record.