For school leaders, managing diverse tasks effectively is vital. Clarifying task expectations and prioritising time are essential for their efficiency and stress reduction. Training for time management and developing leadership standards can enhance their focus on high-priority tasks. Additionally, redistributing leadership roles within schools encourages shared responsibilities, supporting both management and pedagogical leadership. This not only leverages collective expertise but also offers pathways for professional growth, making leadership roles more appealing.
Education leader working conditions
Creating supportive work environments is crucial for the success and well-being of school leaders given their roles' growing complexity and significant workload.
Key messages
Efficient administrative support is essential for enabling leaders to focus on strategic initiatives rather than operational challenges. Providing adequate staffing and resources empowers leaders to enhance teaching quality. Defining support staff tasks, ensuring collaboration with teachers, and understanding the impact on school dynamics are also important. Changes in staff composition affect workloads, requiring analysis of task distribution, stress and relationships.
Giving school leaders the power to make decisions is crucial for tailoring their approach to their schools' unique needs. While some OECD countries offer limited autonomy, highlighting a focus on administrative tasks, enhancing leaders' control over resources and staffing can better align with pedagogical goals. Balancing administrative duties with instructional leadership is vital, as autonomy supports effective school management and makes leadership roles more appealing.
Context
Salaries of lower secondary school heads
In 2023 statutory salaries of lower secondary school heads vary from a minimum of USD 63 398 to a maximum of USD 105 480, on average across the OECD. About half of OECD countries and other participants have similar pay ranges for primary and lower secondary school heads, while upper secondary school heads benefit from higher statutory salaries on average. On average actual salaries of school heads are 49-55% higher than those of primary and secondary teachers and at least 22% higher than earnings of tertiary-educated workers.
Working time of upper secondary school heads
Many OECD and partner countries define school heads’ statutory working time under relevant regulations, collective or individual contracts. Only in England (United Kingdom), the Flemish Community of Belgium, Germany (in most Länder), Greece, Italy and Luxembourg are there no official documents quantifying school heads’ working time. On average across the OECD, their annual working hours do not vary much between levels of education: 1 608 to 1 613 hours at primary, lower and upper secondary levels, but 40 hours longer at pre-primary level (1648 hours).
Education leader working conditions
