Dear All,

I am a fairly new teacher and have been HOD for a year now too.  My line manager is also new to the school and is not a specialist in my subject area (Media) and I had very little hand over from the previous HOD.  As a result, I feel like I am winging it quite a bit! 

Our department has no handbook to speak of, and its been on my to-do list a while (v little time to do even the basics).  I have an idea of some of the very specific things to our school and department to put in, but can anyone give me examples of things you have in yours?

Thanks

All sorts of things are in ours (some more useful than others if I'm honest)

Departmental policies on anything from marking to behaviour etc. etc.

Staff structure (it's a large department)

Copy of timetables so people know what is on where

Planner for year with sections for KS3 / KS4 / KS5

Copies of any initiatives (internal or from government) we are following / trialling

Recommended wider reading for students at different levels

List of useful websites

Plan for development of department i.e. targets linked to OFSTED / whole school stuff

What I would do is start with something simple (i.e. whatever you feel are the absolute essentials) and then gradually build it up over time, so that you have evidence that you have identified a need and resolved it, but then over time new ideas etc. will spring to mind.

Ask those in your department what they would use / find useful to refer to...

 Thanks very much for your help guys.  Have sent private messages with my email to the two of you that offered to send me your handbooks. 

Can I see a copy of it

green97a@yahoo.com

Me too, pls

 jpefischer@hotmail.com