Choosing a school - how important is the Head?

very important, they can and do ruin a school. You don't necessarily have to like the head-teacher but it is important that they be competent at their job. It takes time for a bad head to ruin a good school but they can ruin one child's life much faster and it could be your child's life that is ruined.

School's vary on how much contact you have with the head and the larger the school the smaller that contact is likely to be. You need to find out who the good people are at the school your child attends and try to deal with them if possible. This may or may not include the head-teacher.

A weak head can damage a school within 2 years ime. Our catchment school had a fab head and it was ranked outstanding by Ofsted. She retired and new head arrived. He was so bad that within 2 years the school was in special measures. It has taken about 6 years to recover from that (and two more heads).

I would choose a school where I liked the head. Having said that the school ds has just moved to had a head that retired, new head came in (whom I met when I accepted the place and really liked) and then he left in the summer. We now have a new head that is very different from the previous head but probably more like the head that retired. It is early days and the limited contact I have had with him hasn't impressed me so far but I am trying to keep an open mind.

I am confident about one of the schools because it has already survived one change of head. I also suspect they will probably appoint internally, after due process.

HTs are terribly important to the running and the ethos os the school.

But that's not a synonym for being a thing to select upon. For they may leave. That's when you have to start looking at what place the HT has put the school: what is its ethos, and how well embedded are the systems on which it is run? For although they may not survive a change of head, it'll give you a year or two breathing space post-departure, which might see your DC through that school.

Between them my children have been to 4 primaries and 3 secondary, and had 9 HTs. In every case the HT made or broke the school. In fact we moved 2 of them because of the HT.

DS1 was lucky that the HT started just before he did and was fantastic. He took a failing secondary school and in a short time it was oversubscribed. He retired the year after DS1 left and within an equally short space of time the school was back down to where it had been. Such a shame.

I have DC at two schools, both where the head will retire in the next few years (one in which I think he is definitely going in 2 unless something happens, the other I half expect him to announce it after some big celebrations coming up).
In one case I think relatively little will change, and don't have deep concerns. There maybe tweaking around the edges, but I very much doubt too much will change.

In the other case, it really depends who comes next. There are two possible internal candidates, one of whom I dread. For an external candidate I really wonder just who they would get, and if they could get someone who really wants to continue with pretty much the current vision. It is a concern.

Our teachers are in a tailspin because the head is retiring and they are worried about what a new head will bring; given the old head is with us until Easter it kind of gives you a sense about what a head brings to a school in terms of vision, ethos, culture etc. Absoutely vital appointment as they really do set the tone for the school.

In my experience the HT has been crucial both in primary and secondary. I second what has been said about communication when you have a problem.

The head is the captain of the ship she/he decides where it is going,

I think that the HT can be very important, but please remember that they will not actualy be teaching your child. We have HUGE issues with our HT - horrendour reputation, disciplinary hearings over bullying of staff, accusations of misconduct and financial issues - but the staff who work at the school go over and above the call of duty for the kids.
The school got the best results it has ever had with this very unpopular HT and now it seems to be the staff are working even harder to try to combat this reputation. Despite this, our numbers are still dropping and this is putting our jobs at risk - a very sad situation.
I totally understand a parent's misgivings about a school due to the poor reputation of a HT but there are so many more things that are important ata school as well.

very important, they shape the ethos and atmosphere of the school, they establish the values, which are most important etc etc. they can be friendly/unfriendly, this all makes a difference

I agree with teachermother. The Head is undeniably important. At primary level we were impressed enough to choose a new school, that nobody we knew had tried, based solely on our experience of meeting the Head. The school was at the time almost entirely in prefabs but has a fantastic ethos and supportive atmosphere. It felt right and it was right for us. At second level we declined an offer in a school where we felt the Head and management put the schools interests first and opted for a school with a more approachable staff. After all we will have to deal with them for 6 years. Of course Heads can leave and schools can change as a result so the Deputy Head is important also. .

As a teacher I can say that where the Head is reasonable and understanding, teachers are happy and do their job better. I would go for the nice Head; the rest, such as the buildings and facilities are less important. Try to find out how confortable the pupils at the school are and listen to your instincts.

VASTLY IMPORTANT. Heads are individuals and very different.

Imagine the difference between a super stricty lik Sir Wiltshire and a liberal Head. Chalk and cheese

I think it's very important. Sadly, whenever I chose a school with a fabulous head they retire soon after!

DS2' head has just left and a new one starts in September.
We will be applying to this school for DD to start Sept. 2013.

The school has just been passed "outstanding" again, but as others say it's not always as "outstanding" as it seems.
Low level bullying going on, not being delt with/wrong DC being accused etc..
Hopefully, the new head will sort these things out.

I think one has to look at the bigger picture and choose the best school that suits their DC' needs.

I find it best to speak to other parents/pupils at the school, to get a better idea of the real school. IYSWIM.

After all the HT is management/PR and everything that goes with that.

Our head turned round the school from 13% getting 5 gcses not necessarily including maths and english to nearly 90%. He seems to genuinely like children and talks about their futures as fully rounded individuals and not just exams results. He does have a good management team which is also important and also very supportive governers

The problem many parents have is working out what the heads vision actually is. They're crafty buggers and particularly in the independent sector in many cases say what they think parents want hear. There would be fewer disgruntled parents if heads were a little more honest. If your vision for St Elsewhere is for it to become super pushy results obsessed hot house where exams take priority over everything else then for God sake be honest about it! As far as I can see most parents are queuing around the block to get their DC's into these sort of places.

Our head can certainly talk the talk and could be seen as smarmy. However, I believe he is genuinely behind the school and gives all his time and energies to it. He has two children, one of whom will go to the school next year. He is supported by an excellent management team, each with a different personality/strengths. Where I have had reason to discuss a matter with the school, I've found one of the Deputy Heads excellent and haven't needed to consult with the Head himself. Yes, the Head's important, but look a little further into the management structure before you write off the school.

The head decides on the overall policy and direction the school is going in. He then delegates his " vision" to deputy heads heads of department/year director of studies etc. He needs to have clear vision be able to delegate but also be able to very carefully monitor and ensure his vision is being implemented.
So he's key. I'm not sure you have to like him but you do have to like and believe in the vision.

The head decIdes on the overall policy and direction the school is going in. He then delegates his " vision" to deputy heads heads of department/year director of studies etc. He needs to have clear vision be able to delegate but also be able to monitor and ensure his vision is being im

Very important - but I'd make a couple of points:

A strong new Head will take 3 or 4 years to turn round a failing school.
A weak Head will similarly take 3 or 4 years really to damage a good school with an enduring ethos.

My neighbour's DS is at a school where the Head is revered by staff and pupils. The parents can't understand why. He just doesn't "do" parents terribly well.

Really important in my opinion. They make the curriculum decisions. They affect morale of staff. They have the say in how behaviour is dealt with. They deal with underperforming staff or not.
In primary school, your class teacher is the big influence but in sec, with so many teachers, I think the overall ethos is more important, and that comes from the Head.