Requirements for appointments

In addition to the teaching staff, the following management functions can be found in the regular and special schools:

Auswahlämter (selective services):

• Subdirector or provisional director of a regular secondary school;
• Head of department of a remedial secondary school;
• Middle Manager of a regular secondary school;
• Workshop manager in a technical-professional regular or remedial secondary school;
• Coordinator of a centre for part-time teaching;
• Coordinator of a time-out facility.

Beförderungsämter (support services)

• secondary school teacher or director of an autonomous regular or remedial primary school;
• Director or study prefect of a regular secondary school;
• Director of a remedial secondary school.

Admission requirements

see under following the diverse sections. 

Selection offices (Auswahlämter)

A mainstream secondary school with a minimum of 550 pupils is entitled to one post in the office of sub-director or provisor (office title at athenaeums and lyceums). A special secondary school with a minimum of 150 pupils may organise up to 4 posts in the office of head of department. A fifth post in the head of department's office may be organised if the special secondary school has at least 150 pupils and organises an inclusive school jointly with a mainstream school. Regular and special secondary schools offering technical-vocational education may organise one or more posts in the office of head of workshop if they are large enough. These may be full-time or half-time positions. The function of middle manager of a mainstream secondary school is assigned in the form of half-time positions. In a mainstream secondary school with at least 600 pupils, three half-time middle manager posts may be organised. If the school has fewer than 600 pupils, two half-time posts may be organised. A school to which a Part-Time Instruction Centre or a Time Out facility is attached may organise one full-time position in the office of Coordinator of a Part-Time Instruction Centre or Coordinator of a Time Out facility. A special school which has at least 150 pupils and organises an inclusive school jointly with a mainstream school may organise one half-time post in the office of the paramedical coordinator for inclusive schools. Eligibility requirements A person may hold one of the selection posts listed herein if he or she: 1. meets the nationality requirements; 2. meets the diploma requirements for the post, i.e. - for the office of Provisor or Sub-Director: holds at least a diploma of higher education of the first degree, - for the post of Head of Department: holds at least a Diploma of Higher Education of the first degree; - for the post of Middle Manager: holds at least a first degree diploma in higher education or a master craftsman's diploma, fulfils the conditions for appointment to a teaching post and has at least three years' useful professional experience;  - for the post of workshop leader: the person must already be a teacher of technical courses, a teacher of professional practice or a teacher of technical courses and professional practice in teaching, meet the recruitment requirements for that post and have at least 720 days of service in that post;  - for the post of coordinator of a centre for part-time teaching or a time-out institution and for the post of paramedical coordinator for inclusive schools: hold at least a diploma of higher education of the first degree; 3. has submitted their application in due form and time; 4. possesses civil and political rights; 5. complies with the militia laws; 6. has a thorough command of the German language. In community education, the exercise of the office of teacher of religion is incompatible with the exercise of the office of Middle Manager.

Application and selection procedure

The positions of Middle Manager are primarily filled by internal school staff members. A public announcement will only be made if no internal candidate can be found. For all other positions, a public call for applications is made. The call for applications is published by the school authority in the press, on notice boards in the schools and in any other appropriate form. It shall contain the required profile and the objectives to be achieved during the designation. The application shall be submitted by registered letter. The applicant shall attach to the application, inter alia, a strategy and action plan to achieve the objectives set out in the call for applications. If the position advertised is that of workshop leader or middle manager, no strategy and action plan has to be attached, but a letter of motivation. The school board finally decides which of the applicants should hold the post. The decision is based, among other things, on the applicant's strategy and action plan or letter of motivation, one or more interviews, professional experience and pedagogical qualifications or, in the case of the paramedical coordinator, paramedical qualifications. In the case of workshop leaders, it also takes into account the existing professional competence.

Duration, termination and appointment 

In the case of sub-directors, provisional directors, heads of department and coordinators, the designation shall be for an indefinite period, provided that the post is to be filled for a maximum of 1 school year. Otherwise, the designation is for a maximum of 1 school year. Middle Managers and Workshop Leaders, on the other hand, are designated for the duration of one school year. On submission of an evaluation report from the Headmaster concluding with at least a 'good', their designation will be extended for a further school year at the end of the school year. If, after the expiry of the second designation, there is again an evaluation report from the headmaster which concludes with at least the mark "good", the third designation shall be for an indefinite period.  The designation shall end in the following cases: 1. in the case of a precautionary temporary removal from office of more than six months; 2. in the case of a disposition by removal from office in the interest of the service of more than six months; 3. in the case of the imposition of the following disciplinary sanctions: - a reduction in salary, - a temporary removal from office for disciplinary reasons, - a transfer to non-active service for disciplinary reasons, - dismissal for serious misconduct; 4. in the case of voluntary termination of service, if the member of staff is a permanent appointee; 5. in the case of voluntary termination of designation; 6. in the case of unilateral termination by the school board; 7. in the case of an evaluation report marked "unsatisfactory"; 8. if the staff member designated for an indefinite period has not held office for 5 consecutive school years due to a full-time leave of absence. If between two leaves of absence the post is not taken up for at least one full school year, the duration of that leave shall be cumulated with the duration of the previous leave. 9. on the return of the post holder or member of staff who has been temporarily replaced. The School Board may terminate the designation in the event of leave of absence or temporary replacement due to illness or infirmity for an uninterrupted period of more than six months. Appointment is possible if the following conditions are met:  - the staff member is at least 50 years old; - the staff member has at least five years of seniority; - the last evaluation report concludes with at least the mark "sufficient"; - the post is considered vacant and the School Board releases it for appointment.

Service law

The Sub-Director, the Provisor, the Head of Department, the Middle Manager, the Workshop Manager and the Coordinators shall, for the most part, be subject, during the performance of their duties, to the provisions of the Service Law which also applies to teaching staff. However, they are prohibited from taking a number of forms of leave, in particular part-time leave.

Temporary replacement

If the designation is terminated, the staff member leaves office or is absent full time due to an approved form of leave, the School Board may replace him/her with another person who meets the eligibility requirements for the respective selection office until the end of the following school year without conducting an application and selection process. 

Salary and bonuses

The sub-directors or provisional directors, the heads of department and the workshop heads are entitled to a specific salary scale. Unlike the recruitment offices, the salary here is independent of the diploma. The salary is linked to the fluctuations of the consumer price index. In addition, they receive a monthly bonus of € 250 gross (department heads, workshop managers recruited half-time) or € 400 gross (sub-directors, workshop managers recruited full-time). This amount is indexed. If a staff member designated or definitively appointed in another post for an indefinite period is designated as Sub-Director, Provisional Director, Head of Department or Head of Workshop, he/she shall continue to receive a salary based on his/her previous salary scale until appointed in the selection post and shall receive a compensatory monthly bonus, the amount of which shall be equal to the difference between the salary of the Provisional Director, Sub-Director, Head of Department or Head of Workshop and the staff member's original salary. Middle Managers and Coordinators continue to receive a salary based on their diploma, but in addition they receive a monthly bonus of €400 gross (Coordinators of a Centre for Part-Time Teaching or Coordinators of a Time Out facility) or €250 gross (Middle Manager, Paramedical Coordinator for Inclusive Schools). This amount is indexed. In determining the financial seniority, all services rendered in the public sector, in the private sector or as a self-employed person or freelancer at home and abroad are recognised.

Evaluation report and possibility of appeal

The Headmaster shall prepare at least one evaluation report per five-year period for a Provisor, Sub-Director, Head of Department, Head of Workshop, Middle Manager or Coordinator. He shall hold an evaluation interview for this purpose. The staff member may also request an evaluation in writing to the Headmaster. Upon reasoned written request of the Headmaster and/or instruction of the School Board, the School Inspectorate shall participate in the evaluation. The staff member writes a report in advance, in which he/she takes stock of his/her activities over the past years and in which he/she formulates proposals for further school development. This report forms the basis of the evaluation interview. The evaluation report closes with one of the following comments: "very good", "good", "sufficient", "poor" or "unsatisfactory". If the staff member does not agree with the grade given, there is the possibility to appeal.

Promotion services (Beförderungsämter)

The post of head teacher is a promotional post. A distinction is made between the following offices: - Secondary school teacher or headmaster of an autonomous primary school; - Director or study prefect (designation at athenaeums and lyceums) of a standard secondary school; - Director of a remedial secondary school.

Conditions of admissions

A person may hold the office of headmaster, if he or she: 1. satisfies the nationality requirements; 2. satisfies the diploma requirements for the office, i.e. holds at least a diploma of higher education of the first degree; 3. has submitted her application in due form and time; 4. possesses civil and political rights; 5. complies with the militia laws; 6. has a thorough command of the German and French languages.

Application and selection procedure

The call for applications shall be published in the newspaper, in the schools by notice board and in any other form the School Board deems appropriate. It shall contain the required profile of the Head of School and the objectives to be achieved during the designation. The application shall be submitted by registered letter. The applicant shall attach to the application, inter alia, a strategy and action plan to achieve the objectives set out in the call for applications. The school board appoints an applicant as head teacher. In community education, it appoints an independent commission for this purpose. The commission bases its decision, among other things, on the applicant's strategy and action plan and on an interview, and draws up a report which ranks the suitable applicants. In the free and in the official subsidised, such a commission does not necessarily have to be appointed. One selection criterion for the designation is the pedagogical qualification and professional experience. 

Duration, termination and appointment

The designation of the Headmaster shall be for an indefinite period, insofar as the position is to be filled for a maximum of 1 school year. Otherwise, the appointment is for a maximum of 1 school year. It ends in the following cases: 1. in the case of a precautionary temporary removal from office of more than six months; 2. in the case of a disposition by removal from office in the interest of the service of more than six months; 3. in the case of the imposition of the following disciplinary sanctions: - a reduction in salary, - a temporary removal from office for disciplinary reasons, - a transfer to non-active service for disciplinary reasons, - dismissal for serious misconduct; 4. in the case of voluntary termination of service, if the member of staff is a permanent appointee; 5. in the case of voluntary termination of designation; 6. in the case of unilateral termination by the school board; 7. in the case of an evaluation report marked "unsatisfactory"; 8. if the staff member designated for an indefinite period has not held office for 5 consecutive school years due to a full-time leave of absence. If between two leaves of absence the post is not taken up for at least one full school year, the duration of that leave shall be cumulated with the duration of the previous leave. 9. on the return of the post holder or the member of staff who has been temporarily replaced.

The school board may terminate the designation in the event of leave of absence or disposition due to illness or infirmity for an uninterrupted period of more than six months. The designation shall terminate ex officio after five years if the head teacher has not successfully passed a government-recognised specialist training as a head teacher during this period. The contents of this specialised training are laid down by decree. It includes the modules school management, team development and communication, school development, educational research, specific school law and school organisation in the German-speaking Community, as well as a school board-internal module. The training is not only open to head teachers, but can also be completed by other educational leaders if they are interested. Appointment as a head teacher is possible if the following conditions are met:  - the staff member is at least 50 years old; - the staff member has a tenure of at least five years; - the last evaluation report concludes with at least the mark "sufficient"; - the post is considered vacant and the school board releases it for appointment.

Employment law

During the performance of their duties, school headmasters are for the most part subject to the provisions of the service law, which also applies to teaching staff. However, they are prohibited from taking a number of forms of leave, in particular partial leave.

Temporary replacement

If a head teacher's designation is terminated, he/she leaves office or he/she is absent full time due to an approved form of leave, the School Board may replace him/her with another person who meets the eligibility requirements for the post of head teacher until the end of the following school year without conducting an application and selection procedure.

Salary and premium

Head teachers are entitled to a specific salary scale. In contrast to the recruitment posts, the salary is paid irrespective of the diploma. For secondary school headmasters, the salary scale assigned depends on the size of the school on the one hand and on the respective seniority and financial seniority of the headmaster on the other. The headmaster's salary is additionally increased by a monthly bonus, the non-indexed amount of which is determined as follows:  - Regular and remedial secondary school head: €616.15 gross; - Head of a primary school with at least 300 pupils: € 350 gross;  - Head of a primary school with less than 300 pupils: €250 gross. The salary of head teachers is linked to the fluctuations of the consumer price index. If a member of staff who is designated or definitively appointed in another post for an indefinite period is designated or recruited as head teacher, he/she shall continue to receive his/her previous salary scale until definitively appointed or recruited as head teacher and shall receive the difference from the head teacher's salary in the form of a bonus.  In determining the financial seniority, all services rendered in the public sector, in the private sector or as a self-employed person or freelancer at home and abroad shall be recognised.

Evaluation report and possibility of appeal 

The school board prepares at least one evaluation report for the headmaster per period of five years. For this purpose, he/she shall conduct an evaluation interview. The head teacher may also request an evaluation in writing from the head teacher.  The headmaster writes a report in advance in which he takes stock of his activities in the past years and in which he formulates proposals for the further development of the school. This report forms the basis of the evaluation interview. The evaluation report closes with one of the following comments: "very good", "good", "sufficient", "poor" or "insufficient". If the head teacher does not agree with the grade given, there is the possibility to appeal.