Coursework: 7 tips for new HoDs to make everything run smoothly

Managing coursework is one of the most demanding parts of the job for any head of department, and for those new to the role the learning curve can be steep.

That curve can come with plenty of missteps, too - as many HoDs will tell you. Here, experienced HoDs across a range of coursework subjects share the mistakes they see most often, so you can avoid making them yourself.

Tips for managing coursework

1. Build your timeline early

By far and away the number one piece of advice is to plan ahead and agree on a timeline as soon as the year begins for the different stages of coursework development and delivery.

Gemma Myles, an experienced head of art, finalises her full departmental timeline early in the academic year so that coursework deadlines can be mapped around the other pressure points in the calendar - mock exams, reports, trips and staff absence - before they collide.

Setting it out in full from the start means staff and students can see the whole picture at a glance, and the bottlenecks that derail so many departments are navigated well in advance.

Dom Rapley, a head of English at an international secondary school, builds in structured student checkpoints covering question formation, planning, drafting, bibliography and final submission to keep momentum going throughout.

Tom Wiggall, director of music at a school in Hong Kong, says he ensures there are plenty of internal checkpoints for recording pieces so that underperforming students have enough time to see where they need to improve before the May centre deadline.

If you are new to the role, get hold of your predecessor’s schedule and build from there. Because it already reflects both the exam board’s key dates and the school’s own internal rhythms, it saves you reinventing the wheel, and, crucially, stops you from discovering a critical deadline only once it has passed.

2. Consider AI

For essay-based subjects, AI adds a further layer of complexity. To avoid any ambiguity, agree with SLT exactly what your school’s AI policy will be before the year begins, and make it explicit to students from day one.

History still carries a coursework component, and there are tools out there that can produce high-quality, citation-based essays that are difficult to detect.

In my department, students are told explicitly about the ethical implications and the consequences of malpractice, and all coursework is now drafted in class using Google Docs so it can be monitored in real time.

It remains an ongoing concern, but building these safeguards in from the outset is far easier than retrofitting them later.

The improper use of AI by some students seems almost inevitable, so new HoDs need to be prepared for it. Keep your SLT in the loop, as they will not want to be surprised by a concern about AI misuse.

Being upfront with the exam board matters just as much. If you have had any concerns about the improper use of AI or if you have investigated a suspected case, record this clearly in the comments section of the marking sheet, along with what you found and how you responded. A transparent, well-documented account counts in your favour rather than against you.

When a case of improper AI use was suspected in my department - a suspicion that, thankfully, proved unfounded - Pearson Edexcel commended the centre for its “zealous investigation”. A clear paper trail protects everyone: your students, your department and you.

3. Never underestimate the admin workload

Underestimating how long the paperwork takes is a common theme. Jess Valence, a head of history and politics, is blunt: “Don’t underestimate the time it takes to collate coursework, complete cover sheets and upload to the exam board. It took far longer than I expected.”

Get everything checked in good time, because chasing signatures from students already on study leave is a logistical headache.

Ensuring that you know how upload processes work before the deadline is advised, too. Usually the IT team and examination officer can help.

4. Delegate, but own the outcome

Elinor Brass, director of art at a leading UK private school, speaks for all HoDs when she insists that coursework is a team effort. The temptation to take everything on yourself is understandable, but it is a trap.

Delegate across the department, check everything yourself, and treat the process as an investment in colleagues who may be running their own departments one day.

However well you share the load, though, the buck stops with the HoD: if something is missing or wrong at submission, it is your name on it.

5. Never underestimate moderation

Art, music and PE demand technical preparation when submitting content, and this can catch new HoDs off guard. But the common thread is simple: make life as easy as possible for the moderator.

In art, Brass is emphatic: “Make it focused on what the examiner wants. Having work in rank order is really important at GCSE: they don’t want to spend their time finding things. Make sure work is clearly labelled.”

Huw Alexander, head of academic PE at an international school, applies the same logic to PE video evidence, meticulously labelling each skill so reviewing the footage is effortless for the moderator.

6. Don’t let the appeals window catch you out

If you return coursework marks to students too close to the deadline, the window of internal marking, appeals and submission becomes almost unworkable. The window is tighter than it looks, and new HoDs who haven’t lived through it are particularly vulnerable.

Clear communication throughout is essential, says veteran head of English Mark Zacharias: if coursework is not going well, parents, heads of year and SLT should know well before marks are released.

New HoDs can shy away from confronting problems head-on, hoping they will not materialise. But they will, and experienced HoDs are already prepared for them.

7. Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed

Your first year as a HoD brings multiple competing demands on your time, and coursework is just one of them.

New HoDs are often determined to demonstrate that they can cope, and that instinct, while understandable, can make coursework far more stressful than it needs to be. Exam boards run training sessions worth attending, and your SLT line manager is there to offer support.

Don’t suffer in silence and don’t wait until the process gets on top of you before asking for help.

David Tuck is head of history and politics at Harrow International School Hong Kong