Abstract
Primary and secondary school department heads are responsible for carrying out a variety of duties inside their schools. They are expected to guarantee that a good standard of academic performance is attained and maintained inside their departments in addition to leading, managing and overseeing the professional growth of teachers within it. Thus, the overall success of the school is directly impacted by this. Everyone involved in the performance of the school must pursue professional growth. The purpose of this study is to examine how department heads can benefit from professional development in terms of both its function and impact. The interviews and observations collected department heads’ opinions about their leadership roles in school reform and the connections between professional development and school performance. The study focuses not only on the role professional development plays in relevant departments but also, primarily, on the role of professional development for departmental heads in achieving intra-departmental expectations and school improvement.
This study adopted a generic qualitative research approach framed within the interpretivist research paradigm. The study sample consisted of eight department heads from four purposeful selected schools in the Kuils River area in the Western Cape. A literature review was conducted and highlighted numerous imperatives, including continuous professional development to aid the departmental head in their task of leading curriculum and maintaining improved school performance; defining the legal framework underpinning professional development; clarifying the roles and responsibilities of department heads, including their leadership role; and recognising the barriers preventing effective leadership implementation.
Keywords: professional development, school improvement, department heads