How Much Do Assistant Headteachers Earn?
22 Jan, 2025
How Much Notice Does a Headteacher Have To Give?
22 Jan, 20251-2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- How much notice a Headteacher has to give.
- Who a Headteacher should address their resignation letter to.
- What a Headteacher should include in their resignation letter.
- Where the latest Headteacher jobs are and how to apply for them.
If you’re a Headteacher thinking about leaving the profession or moving to another school, your notice period is an important factor to consider.
In any given business or organisation, notice periods for resignation can wildly differ, anything from a few days to a few months.
The amount of notice a Headteacher must give before resigning varies depending on the school term time, the school, how long they have been there and their contract.
Throughout this blog, we uncover how much notice Headteachers have to give and who they need to address their resignation letter to.
How much notice does a Headteacher have to give?
On average, a Headteacher has to give a minimum three months notice in autumn and spring terms and four months in the summer term.
In some circumstances, such as a personal issue, illness or other emergency, Headteachers may be allowed to leave with less notice.
Headteachers are required to give a certain amount of notice so that a school has enough time to secure a temporary or permanent replacement. Schools must have a Headteacher, or someone to carry out their duties.
According to the National Education Union, Headteachers are required to give the following notice:
- To end employment on 31st December, notice should be given no later than 30th September.
- To end employment on 31st August, notice must be no later than 30th April.
Who does a Headteacher give their resignation letter to?
A Headteacher should address their resignation letter to the chair of governors. However, if they don't have a governing body, they should address it to the person specified in their contract of employment.
What should a Headteacher include in their resignation letter?
In a resignation letter, a Headteacher should include their name, the recipient’s name, the date, their final working day and the reason for resigning. Expressing gratitude for the opportunity they were given is also encouraged. It’s always best to leave a job on a positive note and not to burn any bridges with a school.
Headteacher jobs
If you’re searching for your next Headteacher position, why not take a look at the latest Headteacher jobs, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant position becomes available.
Struggling to recruit a Headteacher?
As a specialist Headteacher recruitment agency, we support mainstream and SEND schools, Multi Academy Trusts, Alternative Provisions and Pupil Referral Units (PRU) with their recruitment needs.
If you’re struggling to fill a Headteacher vacancy, why not get in touch with one of our team to see how we can help?
- North of the UK - Jamie Heath
- South of the UK - Dane Matthews
Meet Jamie Heath
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations.
In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
