These questions support preparation and panel discussion. For appointments in England, use the current guidance and your school or trust’s recruitment policy.
Middle & phase leadership
Head of department / subject leader interview questions
Interview questions and answer guidance for heads of department, covering curriculum, assessment, subject leadership and staff development.
Curated questions and related role articles are maintained by the HeadteacherChat editorial team. Reviewed 6 September 2026.
Curated questions
Questions written and checked by our team, with the evidence a strong answer should demonstrate.
Browse question themes10 themes
Curriculum
1 panel question
Question 1How is your subject curriculum sequenced, and how would you check that pupils build secure knowledge over time?
Strong answers usually demonstrate
A specific example of sequencing, how assessment exposes gaps and how the team responds. Ask the candidate to explain why the chosen content matters for these pupils.
Raising outcomes
1 panel question
Question 1Your department's results dipped this year. How would you diagnose the cause and respond?
Strong answers usually demonstrate
Honest analysis across teaching, curriculum and assessment — not blaming the cohort.
Leading a team
1 panel question
Question 1How do you bring a mixed-experience team with you when introducing a change to schemes of work?
Strong answers usually demonstrate
Shared ownership, credible subject expertise, and support for those who find change hard.
Quality assurance
1 panel question
Question 1What does effective, low-workload quality assurance look like in your department?
Strong answers usually demonstrate
A small set of useful checks, time for teachers to act on findings and an example of a check that was stopped because it added little. Avoid treating more paperwork as stronger leadership.
Assessment
1 panel question
Question 1How do you make sure assessment in your subject is valid, reliable, and manageable?
Strong answers usually demonstrate
Well-designed assessment tied to the curriculum and used to inform teaching.
Disadvantaged pupils
1 panel question
Question 1How would you close a gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers in your subject?
Strong answers usually demonstrate
Identification of actual barriers for particular pupils, ambitious teaching and carefully chosen support. Ask how the candidate would judge learning rather than simply count interventions.
Professional development
1 panel question
Question 1How do you develop subject and pedagogical expertise across your team?
Strong answers usually demonstrate
Coaching, shared planning, subject networks, and using expertise within the team.
Behaviour
1 panel question
Question 1How do you support consistent behaviour and high expectations within your department?
Strong answers usually demonstrate
Backing the whole-school system, modelling, and supporting struggling colleagues.
Difficult conversations
1 panel question
Question 1Tell us about a time you addressed a colleague's underperformance. What happened?
Strong answers usually demonstrate
Supportive challenge, evidence, and a resolution that improved practice.
Vision
1 panel question
Question 1What would you want your department to be known for in three years?
Strong answers usually demonstrate
Ambition grounded in the pupils' needs and a credible path to get there.
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Recruitment
Head of department / subject leader interview questions FAQs
What do head of department panels look for?
Secure subject and curriculum knowledge, evidence of raising outcomes, the ability to lead and hold a team to account, and proportionate quality assurance that doesn't inflate workload.
How should candidates prepare for a HoD interview?
Be ready to articulate your curriculum intent, talk through a time you improved results or tackled underperformance, and show how you develop colleagues — panels probe leadership as much as teaching.
How should a panel use these questions fairly?
Choose questions relevant to the published role and agree what evidence you will assess before interviewing. Use a consistent core set, make appropriate adjustments, and record evidence rather than rewarding a rehearsed style. These prompts support your recruitment process; they do not replace required checks.