"How many years did you serve as a teacher before becoming a headteacher?"
A simple question—yet it sparked a powerful wave of reflection across the HeadteacherChat community. What followed was not just a list of numbers, but stories of challenge, courage, and personal growth.
The most striking takeaway?
There’s no set number of years that qualifies someone for headship.
What matters most is how those years are spent—and what they prepare you to do.
What the Numbers Say
From the community’s shared experiences, a few broad patterns emerged:
5–7 years
Often through fast-track leadership programmes, or within MATs and smaller schools.
12–17 years
A more traditional route, typically involving time as an Assistant Head, Deputy, or SENCo.
20–30+ years
A slower ascent—often filled with classroom mastery, leadership at all levels, and a deep grounding in practice.
As one headteacher put it:
“33 years—and still didn’t feel ready. Nine years as Deputy, three as Assistant. But I knew I had to do it.”
The message is clear: years alone don’t determine readiness.
What Really Prepares You
It wasn’t time that shaped most leaders’ sense of readiness—it was experience:
- Leading a team or a phase
- Managing SEN, safeguarding, or curriculum strategy
- Handling difficult conversations with parents, staff, or governors
- Coaching colleagues and supporting early career teachers
- Navigating an Ofsted inspection or supporting a school through challenge
- Embedding systems, culture, and trust across a team
“It wasn’t the number of years—it was the number of hats I’d worn.”
— HeadteacherChat contributor
A Message to Aspiring Headteachers
If you're working towards headship, remember:
- Seek breadth, not just years.
- Roles like SENCo, pastoral lead, subject leadership, or attendance lead all add vital layers of experience.
- Time served ≠ credibility.
- Confidence and impact come from what you’ve done, not how long you’ve been doing it.
- You’ll never feel 100% ready.
- Imposter syndrome is common, especially in leadership. Don’t wait for it to pass—build through it.
- Surround yourself with support.
- Mentors, coaching, peer networks, and reflective conversations can strengthen your resilience and readiness.
- Be brave.
- Leadership often begins with stepping forward before you feel fully prepared.
Every Journey Adds Value
There’s more than one route to headship:
- A fast path doesn’t mean you rushed.
- A longer path doesn’t mean you lacked ambition.
What matters is who you’ve become, what you’ve contributed, and the values you bring into the role.
Let’s shift the conversation from "How many years?" to "What prepared you?"
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
We’d love to hear your story:
- When did you first feel ready—if ever?
- What roles shaped you most?
- How have you managed doubt or hesitation?
Join the conversation in the HeadteacherChat Community or leave a comment below. Your journey could help someone else make sense of their own.
Thank you for all you bring to school leadership.
— Jonathan Coy
For @HeadteacherChat
headteacherchat.com/blogs
Further Resources for School Leaders
Updated: March 2025
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