Main Findings of 2004 survey
1. What are the experiences and reflections of women and men on their routes
to headship? What are the gender related barriers?
In the 1980s and 1990s there were many studies that looked at reasons why women
were less likely than men to become headteachers or other senior leaders in
education (Ouston, 1993, Ozga, 1993, Shakeshaft, 1989). These and other studies
Coleman, (1994) discussed overt and covert discrimination particularly related to
appointment, and the issues of domestic responsibility and child related career
breaks for women and how these are treated in the work place. The 1990s surveys
(Coleman, 2002) also looked at whether there were any differences in age,
qualifications and career experience between the men and women headteachers that
might help to account for their respective career success. These surveys also
confirmed that geography is relevant when looking at the appointment of women
heads with many more appointed in London and less in other parts of the country.
Other potential career problems that are gender related include women's lack of
confidence in applications and career planning
The following sections cover:
• the experience of the men and women in applying for headship and
other promoted posts;
• the numbers of women heads in the regions;
• the age profile of the heads;
• their qualifications and subject specialism;
• previous roles held in school and deputy headship;
• the prevalence and impact of career breaks;
• career planning;
• confidence;
• sources of support including mentoring.
The experience of the men and women in applying for headship and other promoted
posts
The selection process is obviously a vital stage in becoming a headteacher. In
particular many of the heads commented on their interview experience. If there is
discrimination on the basis of gender it is perhaps most likely to appear at the
appointment stage. Both women and men were asked if they had experience of
sexist and discriminatory attitudes in relation to application and promotion. About
half of the women secondary heads answered 'yes' to this question. The issues are
different for women in the primary sector where numerically women predominate, but
in some instances men are definitely preferred and despite their numerical
superiority, over 30 per cent of the women primary heads said they had experience
of sexist attitudes in relation to job applications. Only 18 per cent of secondary and
16 per cent of primary men headteachers said that they had experience of sexist
attitudes.
It is good to note that the proportion of secondary women who said that they had
experienced sexism had decreased from two-thirds to a half since the late 1990s. In
line with this, women were much less likely to report that they had been stereotyped
into pastoral and caring roles. In the previous surveys there were many references
to this type of discrimination, for example that as deputies women would be