Interim headteacher recruitment

Interim headteachers for LA maintained schools and academy trusts

Experienced leadership for your school, in place when you need it.

Propelo provides interim headteachers for LA maintained schools and multi-academy trusts across England. When a headteacher leaves, falls ill or steps back, the school still needs to open in the morning. We help your board put an experienced, quality-assured leader in place quickly, with a clear brief and the right support around them.

Every interim headteacher we introduce comes from the Propelo Associate Network, the largest network of education experts in the country. We know these leaders well, we have quality-assured their work, and in many cases we have worked with them for years.

Most boards contact us at a point of pressure. A resignation has arrived with little notice, a headteacher is unexpectedly absent, an inspection has raised serious concerns, or a trust needs to steady a school while it decides on the longer-term plan. These situations are sensitive and time-critical, and we treat every one with the discretion it deserves.

Unlike traditional interim headteacher recruitment, a Propelo commission starts with the problem rather than the vacancy.

What does your school need right now?

Steady leadership while a permanent appointment is made

Sometimes the need is straightforward. The school is in good shape, the leadership team is strong, and the board needs an experienced headteacher to provide continuity until a permanent appointment is in post. In these cases we look for a leader who can earn the confidence of staff quickly, keep standards high and hand over well.

A school that needs stabilising

Sometimes the vacancy is a symptom of something deeper. Standards may be falling, an inspection outcome may require rapid improvement, staff morale may be low, or governance may need strengthening. We can bring in specialists in school improvement, SEND, behaviour, finance or governance from the same network, so the interim headteacher is supported by a team rather than working alone.

Our education consultancy work explains how we support schools through improvement and change in more depth.

Flexible leadership capacity for your interim needs

The right answer is not always five days a week, on site, for six months. A board may start with that brief, but the strongest option is sometimes an exceptional leader who can give three days a week, one of them remotely, supported by a capable deputy or head of school.

Part of our role is helping you work out what the school genuinely needs, rather than simply matching a specification.

Alongside interim headteachers, we provide:

• Interim executive headteachers for federations and groups of schools
• Interim deputy headteachers and other senior leaders
• Interim SEND leadership, SEND reviews and specialist SEND capacity
• School improvement advisers and school or trust reviews
• Specialist support in behaviour and inclusion, curriculum, and English, maths and science

For trust-level interim roles such as an interim CEO or interim CFO, see our multi-academy trust consultancy and executive recruitment services.

How our process works

1. Understand the problem

We start with a confidential conversation with your chair, CEO or headteacher, ideally after your enquiry. We want to understand the situation you are managing, what has led to it, any sensitivities, and what the school needs to achieve over the coming weeks and months. We only share what you are comfortable sharing.

2. Define what needs to change

Together we agree the scope of the work: the objectives, the number of days, the likely duration and how progress will be measured. A clear scope protects the school, sets the interim headteacher up to succeed and gives your board a firm basis for holding the work to account.

3. Meet the right people

We identify three or four quality-assured associates whose experience genuinely matches your context, and arrange conversations with them, in person or online. You can judge their approach, style and fit before making any decision. Interim headship works best when there is real confidence between the leader and the board.

4. The work begins

Once you have chosen, the interim headteacher starts with the agreed objectives in place. We make sure they have everything they need to make an immediate impact, and that staff, governors and, where relevant, the trust and local authority understand their role.

5. We stay involved

We do not make an introduction and step away. We keep in regular contact with you and the interim headteacher, quality-assure the work at each review point, and adjust the support if circumstances change. When the permanent headteacher is appointed, we help plan a smooth handover so the progress made is not lost.

Planning the permanent appointment

An interim headteacher gives your board the time to make the permanent appointment well. Our headteacher recruitment service runs a direct search for proven leaders, led by Corrina O'Beirne, with an 87% first-time appointment rate. Running both together means one team, one relationship and continuity for your school from the first day of the interim commission to the first day of your new headteacher.