Applying for a Headship

Applying for a Headship

 

So having spent several months being irritated by TES alerts on my mobile I finally read an advert that had something that hooked me. I’d said that I would know it when I saw it and so it proved. It’s lead my down a path and forward on an exciting adventure.

Application forms are annoyingly non-universal and although the information they demand is consistent, the structure in which you have to input the information is always slightly different which makes the transfer of information just that little bit more laborious. So having judged the form as a 3/10 in its trickiness to input (6 is generally the cut off with a 10 being don’t even consider applying) I dutifully copied and pasted the personal information and then the education and experience sections and then set about selling myself to the vision and philosophy required to attract the shortlisting team.

Deadline set at 1700 Monday and achieved by 1535. Special mentions assembly and Monday staff meetings tend to prevent anything productive happening from 3.40 onwards so the deadline was met by the skin of my teeth.

Two days later, success and shortlisting was achieved and I was booking accommodation, a hire car and discussing options with family.

The interview curiously invited me to teach a 20 minute PSHE lesson observed by the outgoing Head teacher, numerous meetings with existing staff; Outgoing Head, SENco, AHT,DHT, teaching and non-teaching staff team, Community partners and casual meetings with pupils (again curiously no pupil panel) and lunch with the school and a buffet dinner with the governors at a Community partner’s headquarters close by. A tour of the school buildings was squeezed in but was probably a bit too brief. A presentation title had been provided for successful day two interview candidates on the vision for the first year at the school. The plan was to shortlist from 5 to 3 at lunchtime on day 2, although that had not been specifically stated, it felt that that would be the way to go.

The day had started at 1030 and finished at 1830.

Day two was due to start at 0830 with panel interviews.

Three interviews took place over a 2 and a half hour period rotating all of us around:

 

·         Teaching and Learning

·         Leadership and Management

·         Community and partnerships

 

Each interview comprised three Governors and was scheduled to last 30 minutes. Questions rained thick and fast.

 

Would you permanently exclude?

What skillset would you look for in a deputy to complement your own leadership style?

Issues around Safeguarding?

Extending Partnerships?

Meeting partner expectations?

Engaging Parents?

Competence and capability?

 

…..to name but a few, let alone the supplementary questions and extras.

I love talking at interview and have answers I feel, to respond to most if not all questions fired (thank heaven they are not like Google interviews).

1230 came around and I had made the cut from 5 to three. Lunch would be followed by presentations to a team of 5 governors including a member of the DfE focussing on the first year of Headship.

I presented at 1530 (4 hours after my last interview). Everyone was tired and I could see a couple of stifled yawns. Interviewing is a tiring event for everyone. So prior to going in I watched a Youtube video “Be Phenomenal”. It’s inspiring and get up and go and got me off my feet.

Presentation last 15 minutes. Questions lasted 40 minutes.

I left knackered. I had put everything into it and was confident that I could not have done more to put myself across. If I was what they wanted then they would choose me. If not then so be it. I left wanting the job and wanting the validation of being selected. I am a competitive person. I wanted to win. I was weighing myself up against my competitors throughout and tried not to relax at any time throughout the two days.

It took 4 and a half, hours to drive home and I arrived to a phone call offering me the job.

I deferred my answer for 24 hours to spend time talking to my wife about the role, the challenges and the opportunities it will present. It involves leaving a job I really enjoy and I will be leaving with some unfinished business and leaving some people I have had the immense privilege to work alongside and for.

I accepted the next day and the ball is rolling. I will be a Head teacher in September 2015. It feels great; it feels like it is the culmination of lots of research, commitment and endeavour and lots of hard work and I’m excited about the challenge.

I look forward to blogging about my first day, week, half-term, term, 100 days and year in the months to come.

 

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