Selection Panel Procedures for School Teachers 2013

1. Selection Panel Procedures for School Teachers 2013 Training for conveners and members of selection panels Updated November 2013

2. Key Documents This training is based on two key departmental documents: Promotion and Transfer Procedures for School Teachers 2013 Selection Panel Procedures for School Teachers 2013

3. Session Outline A quick overview of filling vacant positions Types of merit selection Filling a vacancy via advertisement Selection panels Responsibilities of panel members The selection process Filling a vacancy through the pool process Checklist

4. Overview of classroom teacher appointments a vacancy arises Principal submits codes via OMSEE Step 1 Staffing Services match for incentive transfers and Aboriginal employment applicants …match Step 2 …no match …and last vacancy filled through central appointment …and last vacancy filled through local choice appointment is made fill position through local choice fill position through central appointment or if position cannot be filled through central appointment

5. Overview of appointments for executive staff (excluding principals) a vacancy arises Step 1 Staffing Services match for incentive transfers …match Step 2 …no match …and last vacancy at that level* filled through central appointment …and last vacancy at that level* filled through local choice appointment is made advertise fill position through central appointment or if position cannot be filled through central appointment * ‘Level’ for an executive vacancy means any executive level (excluding principal)

6. Overview of appointments for principals a vacancy arises Step 1 Staffing Services match for incentive transfers …match Step 2 …no match …and last vacancy at principal level filled through central appointment …and last vacancy at principal level filled through local choice appointment is made advertise fill position through central appointment or if position cannot be filled through central appointment

7. Types of Merit Selection Classroom teacher, executive and principal positions filled through advertisement Classroom teacher vacancies filled from the pool of interested applicants from: • Nominated transfer list • Employment list • Graduate recruitment list • Service transfer list • Resumption of duty list

8. Method of Filling a Vacancy via Advertisement Staffing Services sends an email confirmation to the principal (or director in the case of a principal position) indicating that a selection panel can be formed to fill the vacancy No action can be taken to form a selection panel until this confirmation is received The principal (or director) can delegate the role of convener to another executive (or principal) who must be at a higher level to the position being filled

9. Staffing Services advice to Convener The requisition (advertisement) for the position is submitted on the jobs.nsw system. This application is accessed through the DEC portal and is called ‘jobs.nsw (eRecruitment)’ The requisition (advertisement) must be submitted within four weeks of receiving the email confirmation to form a selection panel. If it is not submitted, the position will be rematched and eligible applicants considered for appointment to the vacant position

10. Staffing Services advice to Convener The panel convener must provide shortlisted applicants with at least three working days notice of their interviews With the jobs.nsw(eRecruitment) system there is no page length restriction on written applications, as there was with the previous Jobs@DET system

11. Staffing Services advice to Convener The DEC Careers page advises applicants that: “Previous page limits for teacher, executive and principal applications no longer apply. However, applicants need to ensure they address the selection criteria in a concise and relevant manner”. http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/about-us/careers-centre Panels need to keep in mind that there is no page length restriction when considering written applications for shortlisting

12. Advertised Positions:An Overview of Stages in the Process • The position is cleared to be advertised by Staffing • The principal forms the selection panel • The panel determines the selection criteria and writes the advertisement, which the convener submits for publication • The panel short lists applicants for interview, including the first two referee checks • Staffing approval required prior to the interviews being conducted • Interviews are conducted

13. Advertised Positions:An Overview of Stages in the Process • The panel reaches a decision on recommended and eligible applicants, including the third referee check • Recommendations and report writing are contributed to by all panel members • Staffing approval required for recommended applicant report and eligibility report prior to feedback being provided to any applicants • Feedback to applicants is provided by the convener only

14. Selection Panels The role of the selection panel is to: • weigh up the evidence supporting each applicant’s claim for the position against the selection criteria • make recommendations as to the most suitable applicant against the selection criteria to fill the vacant position after assessing information from all stages of the selection process: - application - referees’ comments • interview • determine an eligibility list, if appropriate

15. Panel Composition: Classroom Teacher Positions • Principal of the school or nominee (panel convener) • Teacher representative elected by and from the Teaching Service staff at the school (See page 6 of the Selection Panel Procedures for election guidelines) • School Parents & Citizens’ Association will be given the option to participate (representative to be nominated within 10 working days) • Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and/or local ethnic community, where applicable,will be given the option to participate (representative to be nominated within 10 working days) • There should be a gender balance, where possible

16. Panel Composition (cont.) Where teachers at the school have decided not to elect a teacher representative, or where a teacher representative is not available for any reason, the panel composition is : • Principal of the school or nominee (panel convener) • School Parents & Citizens’ Association representative will be given the option to participate.If the school’s Parents and Citizens’ Association is not able to participate, the Director, Public Schools NSW, or their nominee who will be a member of the Teaching Service, will be a member of the panel • Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and /or local ethnic community, where applicable,will be given the option to participate Note: there must be at least a two person panel

17. Panel Composition: Executive Positions • Principal of the school or nominee (panel convener) • Teacher representative elected by and from the Teaching Service staff at the school • School Parents & Citizens’ Association representative • Panel member nominated by the Director, Public Schools NSW at the same or higher level as the vacant position • Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and /or local ethnic community representative, where applicable • Note: theremust be at least one male and one female on the panel

18. Panel Composition (cont.) Where teachers at the school have decided not to elect a teacher representative, or where a teacher representative is not available for any reason, the panel composition is: • Principal of the school or nominee (panel convener) • School Parents & Citizens’ Association representative nominated by the school parent organisation and, if one exists, endorsed by the president of the school council • Panel member nominated by the Director, Public SchoolsNSW at the same or higher level as the vacant position • Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and /or local ethnic community representative, where applicable • Note: there must be at least one male and one female on the panel

19. Panel Composition:Principal Positions • Director, Public Schools NSW, or nominee (selection panel convener) • Teacher representative elected by and from the Teaching Service staff at the school • School Parents & Citizens’ Association representative • Another principal (same or higher level) nominated by Director, Staffing Services in consultation with the NSW Secondary Principals Council or the NSW Primary Principals Association • Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and /or local ethnic community representative, where applicable • Note: There must be at least one male and one female on the panel

20. Panel Composition (cont.) Where teachers at the school have decided not to elect a teacher representative, or where a teacher representative is not available for any reason, the panel composition is: • Director, Public Schools NSW or nominee (selection panel convener) • School Parents & Citizens’ Association representative • Another principal (same or higher level) nominated by Director, Staffing Services in consultation with the NSW Secondary Principals Council or the NSW Primary Principals Association • Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and /or local ethnic community representative, where applicable • Note: there must be at least one male and one female on the panel

21. Additional Selection Panel Members • The Director, Staffing Services (or nominee) may approve the inclusion of an additional panel member where there are specific needs relevant to the position or where the position is for a special education teacher or a school counsellor • The Director, Staffing Services (or nominee) will approve the inclusion of an additional panel member in schools with significant Aboriginal or language background other than English enrolments

22. Schools with significant Aboriginal Enrolments: 20% of enrolments or 20 or more students The additional panel member is a representative of the local NSW AECG or the local Aboriginal community The selection of the Aboriginal panel member will usually involve consultation with the local AECG or, where such a group does not exist, with the local Aboriginal community or communities The Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer(s) may be able to assist in arranging for the nomination of a suitable person

23. Schools with significant Language Background Other than English enrolments: 60% or more The additional panel member represents the local ethnic community or communities The selection of this panel member will usually involve consultation with the local ethnic community(ies) If necessary, the Multicultural/ESL Consultant(s) or Community Liaison Officer(s) may be able to assist in arranging for the nomination of a suitable person

24. Responsibilities of Panel Members • Conveners must provide each panel member with a copy of the Responsibilities of Selection Panel Members (see the procedures document) at the time of forming the selection panel • Panel members need to be well informed about the department’s selection procedures and are equal participants in discussion, assessment and decision making at all stages of the process • Panel members must select applicants based on how well their skills, knowledge and experience match the position criteria

25. Responsibilities of Panel Members (cont.) The confidentiality of all stages of the selection process must be observed during and after the selection process No information at all to anyone outside the panel Only the convener gives feedback The convener must disband the panel if there is any suggestion of malpractice, prejudice or unfair questioning

26. Responsibilities of Panel Members (cont.) Conveners will ask all panel members to declare the extent of any prior personal knowledge of, involvement with, or interest in, any of the applicants before undertaking the short listing process The convener will also make a self declaration Prior knowledge of an applicant does not necessarily exclude participation in the selection process If any panel member does declare an interest, then the panel needs to make an assessment as to whether the panel member has undue positive or negative views about the applicant such that they would unduly influence panel deliberations

27. Responsibilities of Panel Members (cont.) If any panel member believes that another panel member, including the convener, has a conflict of interest which could prejudice the outcome, this must be immediately referred to the Director, Staffing Services, who will decide if the membership of the panel should be changed Each panel member is involved at all stages of the selection process If a panel member is not able to be involved in any part of the process, he/she must notify the convener as soon as possible

28. Responsibilities of Panel Members (cont.) If an alternative time cannot be arranged, the convener must seek advice from the Director, Staffing Services When contacting referees, a minimum of the convener and one other panel member, nominated by the panel, can jointly contact the referees and report back to the rest of the panel All applicants must be treated with respect and assessed impartially and thoroughly Equal Employment Opportunity principles must be observed in all aspects of the selection process

29. Responsibilities of Panel Members (cont.) All questions must be consistent, fair and based on the selection criteria As all applicants are different, it is possible to verify, test and explore different aspects of the selection criteria for each applicant, so applicants and referees could be asked different questions to clarify different aspects of the criteria Comments made on the Selection Panel Report must clearly discriminate between the applicants in terms of the selection criteria for the position

30. Responsibilities of Panel Members (cont.) The convener must confirm on the submitted report that all panel members endorse the comments written and that they understand the confidentiality requirements of the selection process If there is a dissenting view within the panel, a minority report is to be submitted to the Director, Staffing Services by email at the same time as the Selection Panel Report is submitted. There may be more than one minority report

31. The Selection Process This section looks at: • Preparing the advertisement • The short listing process • Consulting referees • The interview • Reaching a decision • Documentation • Providing feedback

32. Preparing the Advertisement All panel members must participate in writing the advertisement, which needs to accurately describe the role of the position Position Information: includes a concise outline of the relevant features of the school and position: student enrolment and composition (should be included in the first sentence); special focus programs; school priorities Selection criteria: • Classroom teacher positions consist of the specific selection criteria for the vacant position • Executive and principal positions must address both the general selection criteria and the specific criteria for the position – there are different general criteria relating to executive and principal positions

33. Specific Selection Criteria Specific selection criteria should: Include subject/teaching areas as applicable Include only requirements inherent to the skills and knowledge that are essential to do the job Be written in plain, concise, accessible language Be examined to ensure they are not narrowly worded or indirectly discriminatory Adhere to all EEO principles Begin with the words In addition to the general selection criteria, … for executive and principal positions

34. Specific Selection Criteria (cont.) Specific selection criteria should: Add to and avoid repeating aspects included in the general selection criteria for executive and principal positions

35. Contact Information The convener needs to supply the name and telephone number of a contact person to whom enquiries regarding the position should be directed. This is usually, but not necessarily, the panel convener If not the convener, the contact person should be briefed on the information to be provided to ensure consistency, e.g. the size of the school and its distinctive features; patterns of enrolment All applicants who make contact should be provided with the same documentation electronically - as a minimum, the school plan and the annual school report

36. Consulting Referees • Each applicant is required to advise his or her principal, director or senior manager that they are submitting an application • The function of a referee is to provide accurate advice to the selection panel on the applicant’s professional competence for specific positions • All questions of referees are based on the selection criteria • Referees may be asked different questions as it is necessary to verify, test and explore different issues with regard to the selection criteria for each applicant

37. Consulting Referees (cont.) As part of the short listing process, the selection panel will contact two referees of applicants who are being actively considered by the panel to proceed to interview The panel convener and at least one other panel member nominated by the panel will contact the referees One of the referees contacted must be the applicant’s current principal, director or senior manager/supervisor, and the panel convener will confirm with that person that: • They are aware that an application has been submitted, and • The applicant is performing his/her duties satisfactorily

38. Consulting Referees (cont.) • For applicants in classroom teacher and executive positions, one referee must be the applicant’s current principal • For applicants in principal positions, one referee must be the applicant’s current director, public schools • For applicants in non school basedpositions, one referee must be the applicant’s current network director, state office director or senior regional manager • For external applicants applying for advertised positions, one of the referees should be the applicant’s current (or most recent) supervisor Note: for teachers who are not currently permanently employed by the Department, it will not always be possible for them to have a principal as referee

39. The Short Listing Process • Following the closing date, the selection process should be completed within seven working days • The purpose of short listing is to determine which applicants will be: • invited to interview because they meet all the criteria for the position • excluded because they do not meet all the selection criteria for the position • excluded because they are clearly not competitive when compared with other applicants against the selection criteria

40. The Interview • Interviews should be held outside school hours wherever possible and should minimise disruption to students. It is expected that, where it is available, videoconferencing will be used as appropriate • The use of teleconferencing will also assist to minimise disruption • One of the key matters for consideration in determining the method of interviews is ensuring that no applicant is disadvantaged: • Panel can decide on telephone interviews for all shortlisted applicants, or • Telephone interviews for all shortlisted applicants followed by a videoconference or face to face interviews for one or more applicants

41. The Interview (cont.) Prior to the interview the selection panel convener must contact eligible short listed applicants and provide them with at least three working days’ notice of the interview in line with the table below:

42. The Interview (cont.) • The time allocated should be consistent for each applicant – the most common length is around 30 minutes • When contacting the applicants to be interviewed, the selection panel convener should provide advice as to the position title and school; method/type of interview to be held; date, time and location of interview and the composition and names of the panel members • The purpose of the interview is to elicit, analyse and verify evidence of the applicants’ relative suitability for the position in terms of the selection criteria

43. Interview Questions Effective interview questions allow the panel to: • identify applicants’ strengths and weaknesses in terms of the selection criteria • provide applicants with an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and aptitudes in terms of the position applied for • explore, test and verify the applicants’ knowledge and skills in terms of the position applied for • distinguish between applicants in terms of the selection criteria for the position

44. Conducting Interviews The panel convener: Introduces the panel Outlines the procedure for the interview, including duration and any other details Indicates that panel members will take notes during the interview Encourages the applicant to seek clarification during the interview if required Indicates the time allowed for the interview

45. Reaching a Decision • At the conclusion of the interviews the selection panel deliberates on all the evidence it has before it and reaches a decision • The third referees must be contacted as part of the decision making process for the proposed recommended applicant and those being actively considered for inclusion on the eligibility list • Only applicants the panel believes meet all the selection criteria at the level required for the position should be placed on the eligibility list

46. Reaching a Decision (cont.) • Sufficient time must be provided to deliberate on the interviews held, referees’ comments and the written applications, to make recommendations and to write the report

47. Submission of Selection Panel Reports • Selection panel documentation is submitted online to Staffing Services via the jobs.nsw system • After consideration of the documentation provided, Staffing Services will advise the selection panel convener to inform applicants of the outcome • Before concluding the process the convener must collect all documentation from all panel members • The convener is responsible for generating outcome letters for all applicants through the jobs.nsw system

48. Providing Feedback • The panel convener is the only person able to provide feedback to applicants • Following Staffing Services’ approval and recommended applicant’s acceptance, feedback can occur • Feedback should be made available to all those applicants who request it, including those applicants who were interviewed and those who were not interviewed • The Selection Panel Report is an important source of information for feedback • It is essential that unsuccessful applicants are contacted immediately to provide the opportunity for eligible applicants to appeal, where appropriate, against the process

49. Providing Feedback (cont.) • The panel convener is the only person able to provide feedback to applicants • Following Staffing Services’ approval and recommended applicant’s acceptance, feedback can occur • Feedback should be made available to all those applicants who request it, including those applicants who were interviewed and those who were not interviewed • The Selection Panel Report is an important source of information for feedback • It is essential that unsuccessful applicants are contacted immediately to provide the opportunity for eligible applicants to appeal, where appropriate, against the process

50. Providing Feedback (cont.) • Note: appeal period only commences when all applicants are informed of the merit selection outcome