Secondary School Identities and Career Decision Making

Within this article we shall examine the assumption of the inevitability of applying for promotion. For this purpose we consider those who are interested in applying for promotion beyond Principal Teacher (head of subject department) level. We seek to identify the factors relating to self concept which might distinguish these teachers from those who plan to go no further up the ladder. The findings we report derive from a study of the identities of Scottish secondary school Principal Teachers and Assistant Headteachers, drawing on five elements of identity. While some elements of identity are found to vary with role, this only occurs when career intention is taken into account. A considerable proportion of both groups of staff do intend to seek further promotion, and links are drawn between these intentions and gender, age and length of time in post.