The head of a nursery school, school or another educational institution (hereafter jointly referred to as schools, wherever possible) plays a key role in management at the institutional level in both early childhood education and school education. Pursuant to the legislation, the head of a public school is the only single-person authority and works together with the school’s collective bodies: the teaching council, the school council and the parents' council (where established), and with the pupil self-government (only in schools) (see also Chapter 2.7, Administration and Governance at Local and/or Institutional Level).

Public schools which have a certain number of classes (as laid down in the legislation) may also establish deputy head and other management positions. Deputy heads and other management staff are appointed by the school head after consultation with the body administering a given school, the school council and the teaching council. The governing bodies and management positions, including the head, and their powers and responsibilities in non-public schools are specified in their statutes.

In accordance with the legislation, the head of a public school, in particular:

• manages the school and represents it in its external relations;
• exercises pedagogical supervision (if the head is not a teacher, this task is performed by a teacher holding a management position);
• provides care to pupils and conditions for their harmonious psychological and physical development through active health promotion measures;
• implements resolutions of the school council and the teaching council adopted within their remit;
• manages funds as part of a financial plan, reviewed by the school council, and takes responsibility for their correct use, and may arrange for administrative and financial services to be provided to the school;
• performs tasks related to ensuring safety for pupils and teachers during classes and other activities organised by the school;
• collaborates with higher education institutions in the organisation of teaching internships for their students;
• provides conditions for activities undertaken in the school by volunteers, associations and other, in particular, scout, organisations whose statutory aim is to pursue educational activities or develop and enrich educational and care-related activities of the school;
• is responsible for the implementation of recommendations based on special needs education certificates for pupils;
• collaborates with a school nurse or hygienist, doctor and dentist providing preventive healthcare to children and young people;
• implements appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure that personal data is processed in a school in accordance with the legislation on personal data protection;
• performs other tasks as laid down in specific national regulations.  

Some key responsibilities of the head in several areas are presented in greater detail below. 

As the head of the institution for staff, the school head:   

• establishes additional positions for deputy directors and other management positions;
• employs and dismisses teachers and non-teaching staff;
• gives awards and administers disciplinary penalties;
• submits to the competent bodies at higher governance levels motions for financial and commendation awards after consultation with the teaching council and the school council;
• conducts performance appraisal of teaching and non-teaching staff (see Chapters 9.2 and 11.1);
• grants paid training leaves and other benefits and allowances related to further training and continuing professional development (CPD).

With respect to the organisation of work in the school, the head:   

• establishes a school timetable;
• after consultation with the teaching council, approves school curricula proposed by teachers, and takes responsibility for their compliance with the core curricula established by the Minister of National Education;
• is responsible for the proper organisation and conduct of external exams taken by pupils;
• divides pupils into classes / groups;
• sets up educational, subject-specific and other problem- or task-specific teams and appoints their leaders.

With respect to the professional promotion of teachers, the head:

• develops a CPD plan for teachers;
• approves professional development plans of individual teachers;
• appoints supervisors to support trainee teachers and contract teachers (teachers holding the first two of all four professional promotion grades);
• conducts performance appraisal of teaching staff (see Chapters 9.2 and 11.1);
• appoints an examination board for a trainee teacher applying for the promotion to the contract teacher grade, and acts as its chair (see Chapters 9.2);
• is a member of qualification or examination boards for teachers applying for the promotion to the higher professional grades (see Chapter 9.2);
• provides conditions for teachers, during a probation period preceding an application for promotion to the next grade, to observe lessons conducted by other teachers, take part in CPD and benefit from support provided by counselling and guidance centres.

With respect to pedagogical supervision (see also Chapter 11.1), the head who is a teacher (otherwise, a teacher holding a management position):

• develops a pedagogical supervision plan for each school year, which is presented to the teaching council;
• conducts internal evaluations and audits of the school;
• monitors teaching, educational and care-related activities of the school to identify and eliminate risks to proper performance of tasks;
• supports teachers in performance of their tasks, in particular, by planning and organising CPD activities, including training activities and staff meetings;
• collaborates with the Regional Education Authorities (kuratorium oświaty), a body responsible for external pedagogical supervision.

With respect to psychological and pedagogical support, the head:  

• initiates, organises and coordinates psychological and pedagogical support for pupils, in collaboration with their parents, counselling and guidance centres, in-service teacher training institutions, other nursery schools, schools and educational institutions, non-governmental organisations and other institutions and organisations supporting families, children and young people. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, national regulations introduce temporary restrictions on the functioning of institutions in the school education system and suspend temporarily face-to-face teaching / classes in preschool institutions, schools (or specific grades) and / or other institutions, and classes are conducted in an online learning mode, using distance learning methods and technologies. When the national legislation allows classes to be conducted face to face, the head of a school (or another institution) may suspend face-to-face teaching for a definite period, with the consent of the body administering a given school (or another institution) and based on a positive opinion from the competent local sanitary and epidemiological services, if the current epidemiological situation may pose a threat to the health of pupils.

When the restrictions are in place, the head of a school (or another institution) is responsible for the performance of its tasks, including the organisation of online learning. As part of their responsibilities, the head, in particular:

• establishes whether pupils and teachers have access to the ICT infrastructure, software and the Internet which enable interaction between pupils and teachers;
• chooses, in collaboration with teachers, information and communication technologies to be used by teachers in conducting classes, and lays down rules for safety in online teaching and learning;
• chooses, in collaboration with teachers, sources and resources which pupils may use for classes;
• identifies, in collaboration with teachers, the need to modify preschool education programmes or school curricula, and modifies them where necessary;
• determines, in collaboration with teachers, the range of programme / curricular contents to be covered on a weekly basis as part of the nationally regulated outline timetables for each type of school, grade or semester;
• establishes, in collaboration with teachers, the method for the verification of pupil attendance at online classes and the method and timeframe for authorising absences;
• provides each pupil or their parents with an opportunity to consult the teacher conducting classes, and informs them about the format and date of such an appointment;
• establishes, in collaboration with teachers, the method for monitoring pupils’ progress in learning and for assessing their knowledge and skills, including the arrangements for informing pupils or parents on progress and marks received;
• coordinates collaboration between teachers and pupils or their parents, taking into consideration the educational needs and psychological and physical abilities of pupils.

Requirements for appointment as school head

The requirements for the position of head of a public school (nursery school or another public institution) are specified in the legislation. The position of school head may be taken by a teacher (teaching head) or a person who is not a teacher (non-teaching head). The overwhelming majority of school heads are teaching heads.

The position of head in the public sector may be taken by an appointed or chartered teacher (that is, a teacher holding the third or fourth of the four professional promotion grades; see Chapter 9.2, Conditions of Service for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education) who meets all of the following requirements:

• has completed a degree programme and holds a Master's (magister or equivalent) degree, a teaching qualification and any other qualifications required to take a teaching position in a given type of (nursery) school or institution;
• has completed a first-, second- or long-cycle programme or a non-degree postgraduate programme in the field of management, or a qualification course in school education management provided in accordance with the regulations on in-service teacher training institutions;
• has at least 5-year teaching experience as a school teacher or academic teacher;
• has received:
  • for a school teacher: at least a ‘very good’ grade in the performance appraisal during the previous 5 years or a positive assessment of his / her professional achievements during the previous year;
  • for an academic teacher: a positive assessment in the performance appraisal at his / her higher education institution during the previous 4 years;
• meets health requirements for a management position;
• has full legal capacity and public rights;
• has not received a disciplinary penalty by a decision which has come into force, as envisaged in the relevant regulations, and is not subject to any disciplinary proceedings;
• has not been convicted of an intentional offence or an intentional fiscal offence by a valid court judgment;
• is not subject to any legal proceedings initiated by public prosecution services;
• has not been banned from performing functions related to the management of public funds;
• for foreign nationals: has knowledge of the Polish language certified in accordance with the relevant regulations or has completed a first-, second- or long-cycle programme in the field of Polish Language and Literature Studies, or is a sworn / certified Polish-language translator.

The position of head in nursery schools and primary schools, except special schools, may also be taken by an appointed or chartered teacher who does not hold a Master's (magister or equivalent) degree but has a Bachelor's (licencjat / inżynier or equivalent) degree (awarded upon completion of a first-cycle programme), a teaching qualification and the qualifications required of teachers in a given type of institution; see also Chapter 9.2, Conditions of Service for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education). Other requirements are the same as for teachers with a Master's degree.

The position of school head may also be taken by an individual who is not a teacher but fulfils all of the following requirements:

• is a Polish national, but this requirement does not apply to nationals of the EU Member States, the EFTA countries which are parties to the EEA agreement, and the Swiss Confederation;
• holds a Master's (magister or equivalent) degree;
• has at least 5-year work experience, including at least 2 years in a management position;
• is not subject to any legal proceedings initiated by public prosecution services or disciplinary proceedings;
• meets the requirements specified in points 2, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 11 above for teaching heads.

Training coursesin school education management, mentioned above among the qualification requirements, usually have a duration of around 200 hours. The topics covered include general organisation and management theory; school education legislation; change management; psychology in managing an educational institution; quality management and quality measurement; educational institution in its local environment; school education and care programme; organisation of the teaching process; and development of a programme for an educational institution. The programme also comprises a management internship.

The legislation does not specify appointment requirements for the position of head in non-public schools (nursery schools or other non-public institutions). Such requirements are laid down by the body administering a given school in internal regulations. They can be identical with the requirements for school heads in the public sector.

Conditions of service

Recruitment

Pursuant to the legislation, the head of a public school is appointed by an administrative decision of the body administering a given school (which is a local government unit in most cases) (see also Chapters 2.6, Administration and Governance at Central and/or Regional Level, and 2.7, Administration and Governance at Local and/or Institutional Level). Where the head to be appointed is not a teacher, the administering body is additionally required to consult the body exercising external pedagogical supervision (which is the Head of the Regional Education Authorities, REA /kurator oświaty/ in most cases).

The candidate is selected through an open competition organised by the school administering body. It appoints a competition committee which is composed of representatives of:

• the school administering body (3 members);
• the pedagogical supervision body (Head of the REA) (3 members);
• the school's teaching council (2 members);
• the school’s parents’ council (2 members); and
• trade unions working in the school (1 member from each).

The total number of representatives from the school administering and pedagogical supervision bodies may not be smaller than that of the other representatives so as to ensure that the majority represents the bodies which are responsible for the quality of school performance.

The committee holds an interview with each candidate who meets formal requirements, assessing, in particular, their ideas for the functioning and development of the school. If no irregularities are found, the administering body approves the competition and the selected candidate.

Where no candidate has entered or has been selected in a competition, the school administering body appoints a candidate chosen in agreement with the pedagogical supervision body, after consultation with the school’s council and teaching council.

In accordance with the legislation, the position of school head in the public sector may be held for 5 school years, but in justified cases the term of office may be shorter, though not shorter than one school year.

There is no requirement for heads of non-public schools to be appointed through a competition, and recruitment arrangements are laid down in their internal regulations.

Dismissal

The head of a public school may be dismissed by the school administering body in the case of:

• his / her resignation, with a 3-months’ notice;
• a negative outcome of the performance appraisal, including the performance of financial management and administrative tasks;
• a dismissal motion submitted by the pedagogical supervision body (Head of the REA) in case the head has failed to address, within a timeframe set, shortcomings identified in a legal compliance audit or an external evaluation of the school (see also Chapter 11.1).

Conditions for the dismissal of heads in the non-public sector are laid down in internal regulations by individual institutions.

Working time

In the public sector, the working time of a teaching head is regulated by the legislation on the conditions of service for teachers. The arrangements for a non-teaching head are laid down in the legislation concerning local government employees (as a local government unit is the administering body for most preschool education institutions, schools and other institutions) and the generally applicable labour law regulations. See the legislation in the introductory section to this Chapter.

The working time of a full-time teacher may not exceed 40 hours per week. A teaching head either has his / her statutory weekly teaching load reduced, based on the size of the school (number of classes), its type and working conditions, or is fully relieved from his / her teaching duties. The head (and a teacher who holds a management position for at least 10 months) is entitled to holiday leave of 35 working days during a period set in the holiday timetable.

The working time of a non-teaching head may not exceed 8 hours per day and 40 hours in a 5-day working week. However, when necessary, management staff should work extra hours without an overtime pay. Non-teaching heads have the same holiday entitlements as local government employees. The length of holiday leave is determined as part of the conditions for appointment or in an employment contract with the head, and its timing is set in the holiday timetable for local government employees.

In the non-public sector, the labour law regulations apply to school heads regardless of whether they are teaching or non-teaching heads. In practice, most schools adopt arrangements which are similar to those in the public sector.

Salaries

Like for the working time, different remuneration arrangements are in place for teaching and non-teaching school heads in the public sector.

Salaries of teaching heads are determined in accordance with the regulations applicable to all teachers (see the legislation in the introductory section to this Chapter). The salary of a head consists of the basic pay and allowances (including, a function-related allowance and a length-of-service allowance) and, where applicable, the pay for overtime hours and ad hoc replacements, awards and other benefits. The minimum rates of the basic pay, which take into account teachers' professional promotion grades (see: Chapter, 9.2, Conditions of Service for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education), the level of formal qualifications and the teaching load, are established annually by the Minister of Education and Science in a relevant regulation. The specific rate to be applied is negotiated between the school head and the school administering body.

Salaries of non-teachingheads are determined in accordance with the legislation concerning local government employees (see the introductory section to this Chapter) as school heads are employed by the school administering body which, in most cases, is a local government unit (see also Chapters 2.6, Administration and Governance at Central and/or Regional Level, and 2.7, Administration and Governance at Local and/or Institutional Level). The salary of a head consists of the basic pay, a function-related allowance and a length-of-service allowance, and, where applicable, an allowance for increased workload or work in specific conditions.

In the school year 2018/2019, annual gross basic statutory salaries of heads (full-time and fully qualified school heads in public nursery schools and schools) were as follows:

* Data in the table refer to 2018. Lower secondary schools were phased out by 1 September 2019.

The information on school heads’ salaries is available in the publication Teachers’ and School head’s Salaries and Allowances in Europe, regularly updated by the Eurydice National Units.

The level of the salary for both a teaching head and a non-teaching head in the non-public sector is determined by their employer (the body administering a given school) in accordance with the generally applicable labour law regulations.

Promotion

Teaching heads are promoted to higher professional grades according to the promotion rules for all teachers (see Chapter 9.2,  Conditions of Service for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education). They can also apply for a job in a Regional Education Authorities responsible for pedagogical supervision over nursery schools, schools and other educational institutions; see the section ‘Staff Involved in Monitoring Educational Quality’ below.

Retirement

Teaching heads of public schools may retire in accordance with the same regulations as other groups of employees, that is at the age of at least 60 years for women and at least 65 years for men. However, teaching heads also have the same special retirement rights as all other teachers; they may retire earlier, regardless of the age, after 30 years of work, including 20 years in specific conditions in education (for details, see Chapter 9.2, Conditions of Service for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education).

Non-teaching heads in the public sector and heads in the non-public sector are subject to the generally applicable retirement regulations. They may retire under the same conditions as other employee groups, that is at the age of at least 60 years for women and at least 65 years for men.

Performance appraisal

Pursuant to the legislation, the performance of the school head is subject to assessment. Appraisal is conducted by the body responsible for pedagogical supervision over a given school (in most cases, the Head of the Regional Education Authorities, REA / kurator oświaty) in collaboration with the body administering a given school (which normally is a local government unit in the case of public nursery schools, schools and other public institutions). Where the pedagogical supervision body is, at the same time, the school administering body, appraisal is conducted by the former.

Performance appraisal is undertaken on the initiative or at the request of:

• the school head,
• the school council / teaching council,
• the parents’ council of the school,
• the body administering the school or
• the body exercising pedagogical supervision over the school.

Appraisal is conducted after consultations with the school council and trade unions operating within the school.

The legislation does not specify the frequency of performance appraisal. It states only that appraisal should be conducted within 3 months of the date of submission of a request, and another appraisal may take place any time, but not earlier than a year after the previous one.

Appraisal covers the performance of duties of the head, and additionally duties of the teacher for teaching heads, as specified in detailed provisions of the key legislation on the school education system and the conditions of service for teachers (see the legislation in the introductory section to this Chapter). The pedagogical supervision body and the school administering body conduct so-called partial assessments focusing on specific duties of the head / teaching head, and the two bodies jointly assess the performance of other duties.

The pedagogical supervision body assesses the performance of the head with regard to the duties related mainly to teaching, educational and care-related activities of the school:

• ensuring adequate quality in teaching and educational activities of the school;
• for teaching heads: exercising internal pedagogical supervision (monitoring and evaluating school performance; checking compliance with the legislation; supporting activities aimed at improving school performance) (see Staff involved in monitoring educational quality below);
• collaborating with higher education institutions in the organisation of teaching internships for students.

Additionally, for teaching heads, the pedagogical supervision body reviews the performance of the head with regard to the following teaching-related duties:

• conducting classes and educational and care-related activities as part of the statutory teaching load;
• conducting other classes and activities as part of the statutory activities of the school, including care-related and educational activities addressing pupils’ needs and interests; and
• conducting activities related to the preparation for classes, self-training and continuing professional development.

The school administering body assesses the performance of the head with regard to management duties:

• financial management based on the financial plan for the school;
• human resources management: recruitment and dismissal of teachers and other employees; giving awards and administering disciplinary penalties; submitting requests to the competent bodies to bestow financial and commendation awards on teachers and other employees;
• providing, insofar as possible, adequate organisational conditions for the performance of teaching, educational and care-related tasks of the school;
• implementing appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure that personal data is processed in the school in accordance with the legislation on personal data protection.

The appraisal conducted by the pedagogical supervision body in collaboration with the school administering body covers the following duties of the head regarding management and teaching, education and care-related activities of the school:

• managing the school and representing it in its external relations;
• implementing resolutions of the school council and the teaching council;
• collaborating with the school council, the teaching council, parents and the pupil self-government;
• providing care to pupils and conditions for their harmonious psychological and physical development through active health promotion measures;
• implementing recommendations made by specialists in special needs education certificates for pupils;
• providing conditions for the development of pupil self-government activities and independent work of pupils;
• supporting teachers in the performance of their duties and their continuing professional development;
• ensuring safety for pupils and teachers during classes and other activities organised by the school;
• collaborating with a school nurse or hygienist, doctor and dentist providing preventive healthcare to children and young people;
• providing conditions for activities undertaken in the school by volunteers, associations and other, in particular, scout, organisations whose statutory aims are related to teaching, educational and care-related and innovative activities.

The performance of a teaching head is additionally assessed with regard to the following duties:

• demonstrating diligence in the performance of tasks assigned to the teacher position held and related to the main teaching, educational and care-related functions of the school;
• supporting each pupil in his / her development;
• striving for full personal development;
• undertaking continuing professional development activities in line with the needs of the school;
• training and educating young people in a spirit of love for the homeland and respect for the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, and in the atmosphere of freedom of conscience and respect for all;
• demonstrating commitment in developing pupils’ moral and civic attitudes based on the principles of democracy, peace and friendship among people of different nations, races and worldviews.

As in the case of teacher performance appraisal, the appraisal process for teaching and non-teaching heads ends with a descriptive grade:

• outstanding,
• very good,
• good or
• unsatisfactory

The school head may lodge an appeal against (that is, a request for the reconsideration of) the outcome of the performance appraisal to the pedagogical supervision body. Requests are considered by a team appointed by the pedagogical supervision body which consists of representatives from the pedagogical supervision body, the school administering body, parents or the parents' council and, at the head's request, a teacher-methodological advisor or teacher-consultant, and a representative of the trade union.

Where the final grade is negative, the school head is dismissed by the body which has appointed him / her to the position.

Continuing professional development

The legislation does not lay down specific requirements for continuing professional development (CPD) of school heads. However, teaching heads are required to undertake CPD activities in line with the needs of their schools, as provided for in the legislation applicable to teachers (for details, see Chapter 9.3). Pursuant to the legislation concerning local government employees, non-teaching heads are required to improve their skills on a continuous basis. Professional development is taken into consideration in performance appraisal of a school head. Training courses and other types of CPD activities for school heads are organised by in-service teacher training institutions and continuing education centres, higher education institutions and other educational and training institutions.