How much do heads of departments in schools earn (private and state)?

[AskingQuestionsAgain]

DH is a HOD in a school, but he doesn't have qualified teacher status so can't be paid a proper amount (long story!)

He has no idea what the proper amount is - we've googled, but the long chart with all the different teaching job roles is just so confusing neither of us can understand where 'head of department' fits in.

He might apply for a new job at a private school (Director of Subject) but has no idea what a reasonable salary would be for this role.

Can anyone help?

It's very difficult to get him to apply for other jobs, but he's woefully underpaid, if I could give him an idea of potential salaries it might help motivate him!

It was news to me that this is a requirement for indies though. I'd mistakenly thought they had their own rules.

No you're right - independent schools (and I believe academies these days?) don't officially require QTS. However, most ask for it - schools obviously prefer teachers who have actually trained to be teachers!

I worked at an independent school and everyone had QTS, many had not only first degrees but Masters degrees and a few Phd's as well. They would not have employed a teacher without a degree or QTS. They liked their staff to have graduated from prestigious universities too as all teaching staff were displayed in to he school handbook clearly stating where their degree was from, the year it was obtained and the classification gained. I'd be very surprised if your DH would even get an interview for teaching let alone HoD without QTS and at least a first degree.

Friend is HoD at one of the top fee-paying schools, and is on about £80k, but he does work almost every waking hour in term time. Also he has a PGCE and various post-grad qualifications, extensive state and private experience inUK and overseas - and is seriously good at what he does. Probably most private schools would be less than that, and state schools less so.

His colleagues aren't all QTS, but those who aren't have PhDs (not that knowledge necessarily means you can teach well.)

He was offered the job if he did the QTS assessment. He had trouble getting on the QTS assessment course because his three-year drama school qualification was only awarded degree status the year after he left (which is frustrating as the course was identical). After a lot of email correspondence, I managed to persuade the QTS assessment uni to at least review an application from him - but by then he'd got cold feet on the whole thing and didn't apply.

So, does he not have a degree either?

This thread is fascinating. I'm not a teacher but if my kid was talented at drama I would 100% prefer a HOD or teacher who has real experience as an actor as well as all the other experience that OP mentioned, than a degree from 20 years ago. I get the teaching qualifications but I just think the degree is a non issue. Really interesting and kind of depressing the way where teachers went to university and their grade is valued more than other types of experience, it doesn't mean much really. Anyone seen that viral video of the PHD student ranking the lowest on IQ than people without degrees or just normal degrees? People that have qualifications tend to massively overestimate their own talent.

Depends a bit on experience and the size of Dept . English/Maths would get more than small Dept like classics. Also depends where you are. I’m a deputy HOD of English in an independent school and am on 53 K - I’d get another 7k probably as HOD. In London it would be more.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64aff19dfe36e000146fa8e6/STRB_33rd_Report_2023_Web_Accessible_v02__1_.pdf

Pay scales in appendix. Independents don't have to follow but some do.

I think not having a degree or a teaching qualification will severely hamper his chances or actually getting a qualified teacher job/scale.

He is essentially being paid as an extra in a way you might employ a musician or sports coach.

But having jumped out of teaching myself for a lower paid job I am amazed at some of these salaries 😲.

I would not offer an interview without a commitment to teaching by way of a short and straightforward qualification.

I'm hazarding a guess at 45k for a qualified HOD in private, with possible fee reduction

DH is L8 outside of London, which is £58k. He’s just left teaching though.

I get this, but on that kind of money, even with 50% off fees, would you really be able to afford the 7k a year to send you child to that school?

I guess it also depends on what OP earns.

Staying UQ and not getting QTS will be costing him a significant amount of money. The QTS assessment-only routes aren’t too bad in workload terms and I’d reckon this would make a lot of difference to his pay. He wouldn’t jump straight to UPS 3 but it would get him more money and onto scales that could get him upwards of £50k in a few years (he should definitely not accept going onto M1 with his experience). It also opens up the possibility of him progressing into AHT or DHT roles, which are pretty well remunerated. I am on approximately £74k as an assistant head. You need QTS for those roles too though.

Why doesn't he do L5 DTLLS followed by QTLS?

Don't need a degree, and has relatively recently been given parity with QTS so he would be on the qualified pay scale.

He needs to Google Society for Education and Training DTLLS.

Yes, there's a cost, but in his position it's a complete no brainer.

I'm Head of Learning and Development in a MAT. I'm amazed noone has thought of this!

I'm not a teacher but if my kid was talented at drama I would 100% prefer a HOD or teacher who has real experience as an actor as well as all the other experience that OP mentioned, than a degree from 20 years ago.

I am a teacher and have had a child of my own who was talented at drama and did A Level. The written expectations are vast and absolutely needed a qualified teacher with a degree to teach the course.

Diploma in Education and Training (DET/DTLLS) -
https://www.teacherassessortraining.co.uk/teacher-training-courses/l5-det?gclid=Cj0KCQiAkeSsBhDUARIsAK3tiefFESNOGOaRKG-OjKmVMRDnr_bG6x9w-4c3zo0eoYicI4ffpEiowtUaAsW0EALw_wcB

Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) - https://set.et-foundation.co.uk/your-career/qtls/qtls-eligibility-guidance

DH is HoD and on just over 60k. He's actually head of two departments don't know of that makes a difference

@Azandme that's great news - when I was training to teach 6th form Economics 10 years ago QTLS (madly) didn't count as "qualified" in a school!

OP, has your husband actually looked at the school pay policy? There will be criteria to meet to "go through threshold' to the upper pay scale and to progress within it. Look out also for mentions of recruitment and retention within it.

But it does need to come from him. If he wants to progress within this hierarchical environment, he needs to get familiar with their specific pay policy and to get a grip on his value in the marketplace.

He has no idea what the proper amount is

I would imagine this is a very niche question as most heads of department are qualified teachers with degrees so asking what a HoD who is a teacher with a degree earns may not be too helpful.

because he's scared of the extra workload

It sounds very much like you are pushing him to do this and he doesn’t actually want to!

He wouldn’t need a teaching qualification in Higher Ed.

My friend, a theatre practitioner, teaches part time on a degree course attached to a theatre, an Applied Theatre course. In a contract, not by the hour, and she now has leadership status in the department.

Good pension, but not sure if her salary. She also does her own creative practice (Director)

Do you not need a degree to teach in higher education?