Advice from Heads of Department

[newjobfears]

I've just got a job as head of department in a secondary school and would like some advice about how to manage my new role. I'm worried about balancing classroom teaching and managing staff. Suddenly I feel very inadequate and like I've been offered the job by mistake. I'll miss having my friends at school to ask for advice when necessary. I'm aware this all sounds very pathetic.
I won't be starting at my new school till 4 weeks into term (long, complicated story) but I'll be there for the transition days so I will see a bit then. I'm unsure how much of a lead to take these days when I won't then be there at the start of term.
Does anyone have any advice or reassurance about any of this? Even telling me to pull myself together would be helpful! Thank you.

Pull yourself together :D

I just applied for HOD with two colleagues and by ten o'clock on interview day was wondering what on earth I was doing - I felt too inexperienced. My friend and colleague with more experience got it which is fine by me. It was a tough interview and she deserved the job - as do you!

Remember the rules about leadership - it's not about doing it for somebody, but enabling them to do it for themselves. So monitor, evaluate, have an open ear - but don't rescue people by doing their job.

Have a calendar for the department so that work scrutiny etc isn't a surprise.

Be as accountable as you want them to be. Have a vision.

You'll be fine xxx

I would also advise that you delegate some jobs to those in your department who are able/want to take on responsibility but ensure that if you do, you acknowledge their work instead of letting people think it is all your doing

I'm a head of department - I'll think of some words of wisdom
Whilst muddling through doing a fine job today!

Remember to lead by example - in your teaching. People respect someone who practised what they preach. You'll be fine. Agree about calendar of evaluation, monitoring, observation etc.

Am not a teacher but have worked in management roles in other sectors and would agree with the above. Always lead by example and practise what you preach! Helpful though they may be cliches!

Thanks everyone. I'm glad to hear you all say that leading by example is important. My heads of department in the past haven't seemed to care about teaching at all and I really want to still be the best possible teacher I can so I'll focus on that at the start and then worry about everything else. Thanks.