Deputy Head Teacher
Snapshot
Deputy head teachers support the management duties of their school's principals and are part of the school's administrative staff. They update the head teacher on the daily operations and developments of the school. They implement and follow up on school guidelines, policies and curriculum activities introduced by the specific head teacher. They enforce school board protocol, supervise students and maintain discipline.
The role of a deputy head teacher is a key leadership position within a school. You work closely with the head teacher, providing essential support in managing the school’s day-to-day activities and implementing its strategic goals. This involves a blend of administrative tasks, student supervision, and curriculum oversight, ensuring the school adheres to established policies and protocols. It's a demanding but rewarding career for those dedicated to educational excellence.
- • Supporting the head teacher in the overall management and administration of the school.
- • Implementing and monitoring school guidelines, policies, and curriculum activities.
- • Supervising students, maintaining discipline, and ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Production and specialised services managers — 186 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Norway, Portugal, Switzerland.
Longest-running shortage: Belgium, 3 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $105,870 2025-05 | −1.5% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Not reported | — | +57.4% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Assessed as balanced Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Surplus reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £70,977 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
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Future Outlook for deputy head teacher
The outlook for deputy head teacher reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could deputy head teacher change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- guarantee students' safety
- provide feedback to teachers
- cooperate with education professionals
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- monitor educational developments
- present reports
Tasks most exposed to automation
- write work-related reports
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Education
A typical day as a deputy head teacher
09 09:00 · Morning provide education management support
10 10:30 · Mid-morning supervise educational staff
12 12:00 · Midday assist in the organisation of school events
14 14:00 · Afternoon communicate with youth
15 15:30 · Late afternoon cooperate with education professionals
17 17:00 · Wrap-up guarantee students' safety
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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cooperate with education professionals
Communicate with teachers or other professionals working in education in order to identify needs and areas of improvement in education systems, and to establish a collaborative relationship.
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assist in the organisation of school events
Provide assistance in the planning and organisation of school events, such as the school's open house day, a sports game or a talent show.
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guarantee students' safety
Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.
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supervise educational staff
Monitor and evaluate the actions of the educational staff such as teaching or research assistants and teachers and their methods. Mentor, train, and give advice to them if necessary.
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provide education management support
Support the management of an education institution by directly assisting in the managerial duties or by providing information and guidance from your area of expertise to simplify the managerial tasks.
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maintain students' discipline
Make sure students follow the rules and code of behaviour established in the school and take the appropriate measures in case of violation or misbehaviour.
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monitor educational developments
Monitor the changes in educational policies, methodologies and research by reviewing relevant literature and liaising with education officials and institutions.
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provide feedback to teachers
Communicate with the teacher in order to provide them with detailed feedback on their teaching performance, class management and curriculum adherence.
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write work-related reports
Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
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communicate with youth
Use verbal and non-verbal communication and communicate through writing, electronic means, or drawing. Adapt your communication to children and young people`s age, needs, characteristics, abilities, preferences, and culture.
project management
The discipline of project management, the activities which comprise this area and the variables implied in it, such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.
learning technologies
The technologies and channels, including digital, to enhance learning.
- curriculum objectives
- curriculum standards
- education administration
- education law
- pedagogy
- assessment processes
- contract law
- funding methods
- kindergarten school procedures
- labour legislation
Path to become a deputy head teacher
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Master's or equivalent level
507 programmes in 22 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 98 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Master of Education in School Leadership
University of Limerick · Ireland
Master of Science in Educational Sciences
Vrije Universiteit Brussel · Belgium
These are 6 of 605.
Sources
- 1. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
- 2. Source: Hogeronderwijsregister, Flemish government (hogeronderwijsregister.be). Flemish Community of Belgium only.
- 3. Source: Malta Qualifications Registry, Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (qualifications.mfhea.gov.mt).
- 4. Source: South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), All Qualifications and Unit Standards (allqs.saqa.org.za).
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does deputy head teacher fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What skills are particularly important for a deputy head teacher?
How does the role differ from that of an assistant head teacher?
What are the typical career progression routes after working as a deputy head teacher?
Is there a shortage of Deputy Head Teacher in Europe?
How much does Deputy Head Teacher pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data