Head of Department Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

Applying for a Head of Department job in the UK? Here is what you are likely to be asked. These questions come from our Head of Department question bank of 25 questions, written for UK employers at senior level.

Eight Head of Department interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. How would you design and sequence a curriculum for your subject so that it is ambitious and coherent from Year 7 to Year 11?

Why they ask: Curriculum leadership is the heart of a Head of Department's role and an inspection focus.

2. How do you monitor the quality of teaching and learning in your department in a way that is supportive rather than punitive?

Why they ask: They want a leader who raises standards while retaining the trust of the team.

3. How do you analyse exam results and use them to improve outcomes in your department?

Why they ask: Results analysis is a core annual responsibility and a key accountability measure.

4. A teacher in your department is consistently underperforming. Their pupils' results are poor and behaviour in their lessons is a concern. What do you do?

Why they ask: Managing underperformance is one of the hardest parts of middle leadership.

5. How do you ensure that assessment in your department is valid and reliable, and that it informs teaching?

Why they ask: Poor assessment design leads to unreliable data and unnecessary workload.

6. A parent complains that their child's predicted grade is unfair and that they are being held back. How do you respond?

Why they ask: Heads of department often handle parental concerns about grades.

7. Tell me about a time you led an improvement in your department's results or a particular group's progress.

Why they ask: They need evidence of impact as a middle leader.

8. What does a typical day as a Head of Department involve, and why do you want to lead a department?

Why they ask: Panels want to see realistic understanding of middle leadership.

A sample answer to question 1

How would you design and sequence a curriculum for your subject so that it is ambitious and coherent from Year 7 to Year 11?

I would start by deciding what the subject is for: the core knowledge, concepts and disciplinary skills that pupils need to become confident in it. I would map these across five years, making sure that each unit builds on earlier learning, with key ideas revisited rather than taught once. I would check coherence with the national curriculum and the exam specification, but I would not let GCSE dictate Key Stage 3, which should be an ambitious course in its own right. I would plan vocabulary, assessment and common misconceptions into each unit and involve the whole team, because shared ownership leads to better delivery. I would test whether it is working by looking at books, talking to pupils about what they remember and reviewing assessment data, then refine it. I would also ensure it is accessible to pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils.

Common mistake to avoid: Planning around exam content only; one-off curriculum design with no review

Want the rest?

Full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 25 questions are on the Head of Department interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.