resources, education culture
How To Become a School Principal
18 Oct 2025
When I was in primary school, I had the most wonderful principal. Let’s call her Ms McNamara.
Ms McNamara embodied everything a principal should be: warm and approachable, but at the same time, polished and professional; the ideal face to represent our little school. From hosting school-wide assemblies and parent-teacher nights to warmly greeting each of us by name as we played in the schoolyard during recess, she was always impeccably dressed in her signature pastel suits, shiny court shoes, pearl necklaces, and immaculately applied lipstick. She was a formidable figure, fondly admired by parents and students alike.
If you can see yourself in Ms McNamara’s shiny shoes, look no further: here’s our guide to being a school principal.
School Principals: What Do They Actually Do?
Ms McNamara could often be seen wandering the halls of our school, heels tapping against the polished floorboards, greeting everyone she passed with a smile. But what did she actually do?
If you’re wondering, here’s a typical day in the life of a school principal:
7:00 am: Arrival and Preparation for the Day Ahead
Always impeccably prompt, I’d imagine Ms McNamara would arrive at her desk early each morning, setting herself up for the day ahead by attending to her administrative tasks, responding to emails, and checking her schedule for the action-packed day she was soon to tackle.
Of course, all this only after a steaming cup of her favorite Earl Grey tea, essential to center herself and prepare for the upcoming events of the busy day yet to unfold. Administrative tasks attended to, tea sipped, and lipstick reapplied, she was now ready to face the remainder of her daily activities.
7:30 am: Staff Meeting - Teachers and Leadership Staff
Before we students started trailing into the school yard, Ms McNamara would meet with leadership and teaching staff to direct what is commonly known in educational circles as an Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) meeting.
In this meeting, Ms McNamara would facilitate collaborative staff decision-making around important issues pertaining to the direction of the school. Items on the agenda? Innovations to the school curriculum, for example, or perhaps even fundraising ideas. The meeting would also serve as the ideal opportunity for teaching staff to raise and address any concerns they wished to discuss with Ms McNamara in a public forum.
8:00 am: School Assembly
As we gathered outdoors on the tarmac near our school’s reception office, Ms McNamara would patiently wait for us all to get in line, grouped by our grade levels. The junior kids sat cross-legged on the ground at the front of the crowd, while the older students formed orderly rows behind them. Of course, this all happened in a prompt and timely fashion: we were all assembled and ready to listen to Ms McNamara’s address by 8:00 am sharp.
After having us serenade her with our national anthem, Ms McNamara would then brief us all on the happenings around the school: which teachers were on yard duty that day, the upcoming annual bake sale fundraising drive, the school cleanup working bee that weekend, and any other pressing issues.
Rest of Day
Having tackled her many duties of the morning, Ms McNamara would then retire to her office to deal with the rest of her day.
In between administrative tasks, countless meetings were ahead of her - including rendezvous with parents of struggling students who required additional support, or with other educational staff members, and sometimes, with external stakeholders of the school.
How Do I Become a School Principal?
Having read about Ms McNamara’s action-packed and purposeful day, and felt this inspired you to step into her shoes, you might consider taking the educational pathways to fast-track your way to becoming a school principal.
Yes, being a principal takes more than having stellar interpersonal and organizational skills, as well as a genuine passion for schooling: you also require relevant educational leadership qualifications, which can be obtained via accredited EdD programs.
Educational leadership accreditations acquired, you’d also benefit from having several years of teaching experience under your belt, to enable you to better understand what is required of educational staff, as well as how best to lead them as their principal.
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Today, we’ve discussed what the role of a principal looks like, and also, how to become one.
From busy mornings tending to administrative tasks and having collaborative meetings with other staff members, to leading school-wide assemblies, and moving on to action-packed afternoons of meetings with parents and other external stakeholders, a school principal like Ms McNamara needs to be as organized as she is personable, to stay on her toes throughout her day.
If you’re keen to follow in her remarkable footsteps, a career as a school principal is within reach, especially if you already possess years of teaching experience and the appropriate educational leadership qualifications.
