Two of KwaZulu-Natal’s prominent boys’ schools, Maritzburg College and Michaelhouse, are moving closer to finalising their replacements for Chris Luman and Antony Clark, respectively. There’s no doubt that these are two highly demanding positions, and extensive groundwork will be required to identify, background-check, and interview the successful candidates.
Interestingly, as a state school, Maritzburg College’s successor will hold the position until the mandatory retirement age of 65, whereas the independent school, Michaelhouse, will likely enter into a renewable 5-year contract with whomever they select.
Further diversifying the approaches, rumours suggest that Maritzburg College may opt for an internal appointment, while Michaelhouse might be considering someone who is currently a headmaster abroad or even the existing head of a Gauteng school.
Many top schools prefer to appoint a headmaster with prior experience. It has become increasingly rare for a leading school to groom someone from their existing staff for the role.
I consulted an expert in the field to understand why this trend has developed. Here is his insight:
“At times, schools need fresh ideas and impetus. When a deputy takes over, they may simply continue with what their predecessor did or be too cautious or respectful to implement necessary changes. I believe this is often cyclical. Some deputies successfully make the step up, while others do not. Another challenge is that a deputy has been part of the staff room and might struggle to establish the necessary distance between themselves and the staff. However, some do manage this transition well.
Additionally, it depends on how long the outgoing head has been in the role. In my opinion, it is better to bring in someone from outside after an extended period. So, it is very situational and depends on who is available on your staff.”
“The upcoming appointments at Paul Roos, Paarl Boys’ High and College will be particularly interesting to watch. I know Paul Roos has had to advertise the position twice! This job is becoming increasingly difficult, and fewer people are willing to take on the ultimate responsibility.”
An AI chatbot response to the a question about the advantages of an internal appointment produced the following list:
Continuity and Stability: An internal candidate is already familiar with the school’s culture, values, and operations. This allows for a smoother transition with minimal disruption to ongoing projects and initiatives.
Institutional Knowledge: Internal candidates have a deep understanding of the school’s strengths, challenges, and history. This knowledge enables them to make informed decisions quickly and build on existing progress.
Established Relationships: An internal appointee already has established relationships with staff, students, parents, and the broader school community. This can foster trust and collaboration, making it easier to implement changes or new strategies.
Reduced Learning Curve: Since the internal candidate is already familiar with the school’s systems and processes, they can step into the role more efficiently without the need for a lengthy adjustment period.
Cost and Time Efficiency: Recruiting and onboarding an external candidate can be time-consuming and costly. An internal appointment can save on these resources while ensuring a quicker start.
Morale and Motivation: Promoting from within can boost staff morale by demonstrating that hard work and loyalty are recognised and rewarded. It can also motivate other staff members to aspire to leadership roles.
Preservation of Culture: An internal appointee is more likely to preserve and reinforce the school’s culture and values, ensuring continuity in leadership style and organisational ethos.
While these advantages are significant, they must be weighed against the potential need for fresh perspectives and innovation, which might be better provided by an external candidate.
A five year contract will probably be a fair and reasonable option. However, it is not an option at public schools in SA. Retirement at 65 is compulsory for any government employee. Should headmasters in principle be allowed, on request of the SGB, to continue after turning 65? Traditionally it is an age where an individual possesses lots of experience, institutional knowledge and wisdom. It would have been beneficial to all should he/she be allowed to continue on a contract basis. However, the same argument applies to eg a champion Maths teacher. Somewhere you must draw the line?? From a health perspective, it might also be a good thing to be forced to leave a high pressure job at age 65.
@buitestaander (Comment #3)
What are your thoughts on the 5-year contract and 65-year-old retirement age? Should state schools be allowed to continue on with an existing headmaster after he’s reached 65, if they believe he can still do the work to the standard required?
Interesting article. In my view there is no right or wrong in terms of an internal or external appointment. Deputies have often designated responsibilities at their schools, and only very senior deputies will have experience across the broad spectrum of school management and school leadership. Headmasters of prominent and leading schools, have to deel with extreme high levels of pressure. They need to be resillient. In general, the most deputies will struggle and take immense pressure during the first 3-5 years of their term of office. That being said, there are deputies who will make the step up. Eventually the most suitable person, who has got the potential and leadership ability, who has a proven record, who is emotional intelligent, who has strong human relations, and who is a respected individual, should be appointed. In a perfect world, it is preferred that such a person has experience of being a headmaster. Very capable but inexperienced headmasters’ reputation can take a serious knock if they end up to soon in a senior post. On the other hand, investing in potential, will always pay off.
It’s quite interesting how schools weigh up the pros and cons between these approaches. Paul Roos, for example, has an unwritten (or perhaps written?) rule that no vice-rector can become rector. Thus, it is likely that every new rector appointed would be an external appointment.
Hi