The Peter Principle states strong performance in one role that leads to promotion means people end up in positions beyond their level of competence.

In schools, this can sometimes be seen when a great classroom teacher becomes a head of department or pastoral lead - but ends up not being suited to that role.

This is rarely the fault of the teacher. Anyone who has been promoted to a middle or senior leadership post will know all too well that the responsibilities are often wildly different to the planning, teaching and marking of the classroom role.

Because of this, we should not be complacent about teachers new to leadership roles and simply “promote and hope”. Instead, those above them must provide clarity, support and guidance to help them hit the ground running - here’s how to do just that.

1. Identify new responsibilities

Nothing is more helpful than a well-crafted, detailed job description so that a new manager clearly understands their role and responsibilities.

This is usually provided during the application stage for the job, but you should also set it out clearly when someone is appointed, too, so there is a clear expectation of what they are in charge of and what they are not.

Putting this together can also help you consider where they may need specific support - as long as you avoid the curse of knowledge. If you state they will have to conduct self-evaluations, for example, or check exam entries, then remember that while this may be old hat for you, it will be entirely new for them.

As such, make sure any new requirements are clearly explained with the necessary signposting or offer of support so they understand what they have to do and that help is available.

2. Consider leadership requirements

As well as key tasks, you should identify the leadership activities the individual will need to take ownership of, such as department meetings, performance management or line management.

It is helpful to share current practices as well as giving them the option to shadow the most experienced or successful counterpart in school doing these activities.

A useful model often used in professional development of teaching is “see it, name it, do it”: show colleagues a great example; work with them to name what makes it great, and then have them practice it themselves.

3. Let them ask for help

Time-pressured leaders might be tempted to place new colleagues on a course and hope it will answer all their questions, but delegating development is a risky option.

By all means, enrol new leaders onto an NPQ for the following year, but the immediate focus should be giving them the support they need to get the job done - particularly if it is a mid-year appointment and there is little time to take stock.

As such, ask the new leader to “RAG” (red/amber/green) rate areas where they feel they need support and how quickly, and then tailor your response from that.

For example, if they identify exam administration as “red”, perhaps let them spend time with an experienced exam officer. If they require support in subject-specific curriculum development, link them up with a successful head of department in another local school or within your multi-academy trust.

4. Check the calendar

If this is a mid-year appointment, look at the calendar of events and deadlines for the rest of the year and identify those that involve the newly promoted colleague.

Plan out the timeline to ensure they’re ready for each new aspect, ideally checking in four school weeks before the deadline to share the task and organise any support required.

5. Plan your check-ins

Even with well-structured support, things can go awry or prove more challenging than expected. As such, plan regular check-ins to determine if and where support is needed.

These could be as frequent as weekly or as infrequent as monthly - and you may adapt and change this as your middle leader requires. For some topics, a 10-minute check-in will suffice; for others, you will want to plan a longer, more structured meeting.

Be mindful, too, that some people may not wish to admit things are not going well, or feel they need to act as if there are no issues. It is often unlikely this is truly the case, so make sure they feel they can be honest and that support will be given without judgment.

Of course, sometimes a new leader will hit the ground running and need little support beyond simple signposting or confirmation of a course of action.

If this is the case, don’t be offended that your planned offers of support and nurturing are unnecessary. Enjoy the benefits of gaining some time back from an excellent hiring decision - and that you’ve avoided the curse of the Peter Principle.

Jo Facer is a former headteacher and the head of the national professional qualifications faculty at the National Institute of Teaching