Associate Assistant Head

[BeMintCat]

What is the difference between an AHT and AAHT, and how different are the salaries? An internal vacancy has arisen for an AAHT (behaviour, attendance & DSL) and it seems like a big workload and a role that should be AHT. There is no other person on the SLT with responsibility for behaviour currently and the role would reduce the workload of the DHT Pastoral, and the role would report to the DHT Pastoral.

In the schools I know AAHT doesn’t really get a pay rise, the selling point is the experience gained to then become AHT later on. And people do it!

It depends on the size of the school but IME in a reasonably large secondary I’d expect an AAHT to be on L8-11 approx and then AHTs tend to about around L12-15.

The main things to weigh up are whether AAHT have a seat at the SLT table, or whether the ‘extended’ SLT are excluded from core SLT meetings where the decisions actually take place. You also need to know what additional duties you would need to undertake, remembering that once you are on the leadership scale you no longer benefit from 1265 and much of STPCD.

IME, any role with 'Associate' is unpaid, you do it for the experience before applying for AHT roles. Is it for a fixed term, or ongoing as that might be the difference. I've seen people offered AAHT roles for a year, given various projects to plan and execute, done so brilliantly, then be told 'Thanks very much, we're adopting xyz as a whole school initiative or policy, but unfortunately there's no budget for a permanent role or promotion'.
You may get a reduction in teaching hours to do the additional tasks though.
Good luck, whatever you decide.

Our AAHs are paid as lead practitioners. It’s sold as a step up to AH. They still have quite high teaching loads.

AAHT IME is similar to being an apprentice. I do think schools interpret 'associate' to suit their need. Similarly, with UPS 1, 2, 3 - some schools have astronomical workloads and other schools are much more reasonable and balanced.

Without knowing your structure in your school, could it be that they are re-structuring the responsibilities across SLT thus the creation of the vacancy?

I’d be speaking to the HT or DHT (or whoever will line manage the role) to get clarity and whether there is an additional salary increase…. It does seem quite a lot of responsibility without additional pay….. BUT it’s a great opportunity for someone to gain experience and develop further.