Head of department and head teacher interview questions (with answer plans)

Who you're talking to: middle-leader titles by state

The job varies more than the titles. A NSW head teacher usually manages a faculty (English, maths, science), supervises its teachers, runs its budget and still teaches a substantial load. A Queensland HOD can be a faculty head in a high school or a curriculum leader in a primary school. Read the role description and specific criteria before you prepare a single answer. Our how to become a head teacher guide covers eligibility and the application.

Theme 1: leading teaching and learning in a faculty

1. Tell us about a time you improved student results across a team, not just in your own class.
2. How would you lift HSC, QCE or senior results in this faculty?
3. How do you make sure assessment is consistent across classes?
4. How have you led a change to a teaching program or scope and sequence?
5. How do you support differentiation across a faculty?
6. How do you keep up with syllabus changes and lead staff through them?

Theme 2: leading and developing colleagues

1. How do you support an early-career teacher through accreditation?
2. Tell us about a time you had a difficult conversation with a colleague about their practice.
3. How would you lead a faculty where some experienced staff resist change?
4. How do you run classroom observations and give feedback?
5. How do you build a collaborative faculty culture?
6. How would you manage a staff member who is consistently late with reports or marks?

Theme 3: data, programs and resources

1. Walk us through how you'd use data to set faculty priorities.
2. How have you managed a budget or resources for a team?
3. How would you staff and timetable electives with falling enrolments?
4. How do you make sure programs and assessment schedules are compliant with NESA, QCAA or your curriculum authority?
5. What would you do in your first term as head of this faculty?
6. How do you make sure resources (texts, equipment, labs) are safe and well managed?

What's being tested: whether you can run a faculty as a system. Good answers mention a cycle: look at the data, set one or two priorities, agree actions with the team, check progress mid-year, and report back. Know your curriculum authority's requirements for programs, assessment and record-keeping, and any work health and safety duties in practical subjects.

Theme 4: students, wellbeing and families

1. A parent complains that a teacher in your faculty marked their child unfairly. What do you do?
2. How would you support a teacher with a class that has serious behaviour issues?
3. How do you make sure students with disability get the adjustments they need across the faculty?
4. How do you work with the wellbeing team and year advisers?
5. What would you do if a teacher reported a concern about a student's safety?
6. How do you engage families in students' learning in your subject?

Complaint and behaviour scenarios test fairness and loyalty at once. Listen to the parent, gather the facts (the task, the rubric, the marking), talk to the teacher, and make a decision you can explain to both. For child safety questions, follow mandatory reporting and your school's procedures and involve the principal; never investigate yourself.

Theme 5: why you, why now

1. Why do you want this role, and why at this school?
2. What leadership experience have you had so far?
3. How will you balance a teaching load with leading the faculty?
4. Where do you see yourself in five years?
5. What would your current faculty say about you?
6. What's the biggest lesson you've learned from relieving or leading a team?

Relieving experience is the strongest evidence you can bring. If you haven't relieved as head teacher or HOD, talk about leading a project, a stage, a year group or a curriculum change. In NSW, Highly Accomplished or Lead accreditation is also strong evidence; see the HALT evidence examples.

How middle-leader panels work