headteachers

[tali122]

are all headteachers/masters formerly teachers and if so ,how many years teaching experience is required to become a headteacher and do they need to take exams?

[Lillabet]

Actually, whilst andy's answer was correct until recently it is no longer accurate.

It used to be that once you were a teacher you could simply apply for more senior jobs in the same way as applying for promotion in any other case.

Now however there is the NPQH or National Professional Qualification for Headship. This is a course which people who want to become headteachers for the first time must have passed or be working towards. In larger schools it is quite often expected that you will start working towards it  when you take on any sort of whole school management role such as deputy.

There's a link here to more info if you're interested: http://www.ncsl.org.uk/leadership_development/entry_to_headship/18.cfm

Hope this helps

[Gef]

Just to point out that in Scotland all appointments are now made by a panel of experienced teachers.