Principal (academia) facts for kids

A principal is a very important leader in a school or college. Think of them as the main boss or head of the school. They are in charge of making sure everything runs smoothly, from learning in classrooms to how the school is managed.

In the United States, the principal is usually the head of most schools for kids before they go to university. These are often schools where students don't live on campus. In other parts of the world, especially in countries that were once part of the Commonwealth, a principal might be the top leader of a university or college.

Principals in Canada

In Canada, some universities have a principal instead of a president or rector. This is because these universities were started with ideas from Scotland. For example, Queen's University, McGill University, and some colleges at the University of Toronto have principals. Other schools like Bishop's University and the Royal Military College of Canada also use this title.

Principals in England

Many colleges in England that offer further education (like vocational training or courses after high school) are led by a principal. For example, Cirencester College and West Nottinghamshire College have principals.

At famous universities like Oxford University and Cambridge University, many of the smaller colleges within them also have principals as their leaders. This includes colleges like Brasenose at Oxford and Homerton College at Cambridge.

At Durham University, most of their colleges also have a principal in charge. Several colleges that are part of the University of London also use the title of principal for their leaders, such as King's and Royal Holloway.

Principals in Scotland

In Scotland, a principal is chosen by the university's main governing group. This person acts as the leader for all the teachers and researchers. At Scotland's very old universities, the principal is also the head of the main academic group, called the Academic Senate.

The principal in Scotland also holds the title of vice-chancellor. However, their main power with this title is usually just to give out degrees at graduation ceremonies. The roles of vice-chancellor and chancellor are mostly honorary titles.

Principals in the United States

In the United States, there were about 133,000 principals and assistant principals in 1999. The full title used to be "principal teacher." This is why the word "principal" sounds like an adjective. Even today, some older schools, especially in places like Louisiana, still use terms like headmaster or head of school.

To become a school principal in the United States, a person often needs special licenses for school administration. They also usually need a master's degree in educational administration. This degree teaches them how to manage a school and lead its staff and students.