The Interview Days

1. The Interview Days Tatiana Wilson

2. Think about the responsibility the governors have The life-chances of children The happiness and well-being of the staff The reputation and ethos of the school ALL depend on them making a good appointment and none of the candidates they are interviewing are likely to be the finished article.

3. To be appointed you need to convince them you are more than a safe pair of hands. C of E schools are led by people who recognise and support the values of the school and its community, and who will preserve and develop the religious character of the school.

4. If invited to interview you should only phone the school once and then follow this with an email of questions and requests.Text mark your letter and make sure you don�t miss anything

5. It is legitimate to use some of your grant to cover preparation time.

6. Dress smartly but not �shiny�

7. DAY 1 Demonstrating all things to all people THINK What have you said about yourself? How will you demonstrate this is true?

8. Lead an Act of Collective Worship They are looking to see how confident you are in leading wholly Christian worship They want to appreciate your subject knowledge They are assessing communication skills Keep it simple with a clear focus � think about GERS Gathering, Engaging, Responding and Sending Get the pitch right VAK Engage the children Give a personal angle

9. Teaching an episode They are assessing your planning, teaching and evaluation Are you able to demonstrate a good understanding of pedagogy*? Are you able to move learning forward? Are you able to effectively gauge the quality of your own teaching?

10. *Pedagogy The why, what and how of teaching. The knowledge and skills teachers need in order to make and justify the many decisions that each lesson require. Pedagogy is the heart of the enterprise. It gives life to educational aims and values, lifts the curriculum from the printed page, mediates learning and knowing, engages, inspires and empowers learners � or sadly does not Robin Alexander Introducing the CPR page 28 2009

11. Observing a lesson: They are assessing how you give your feedback Use OFSTED criteria (SIAS for RE) Keep it structured Be clear about what could be improved Annotate how you give feedback and why you are doing it

12. Group exercise They are assessing your facilitation and diplomacy skills Demonstrate active listening Let others come up with ideas Don�t be too domineering but say enough Negotiate an answer � which idea would be in the best interest of the school/most useful

13. School Council They are assessing how you interact/your pitch/ honesty and warmth Be approachable Make the meeting interactive If you can withdraw information from them � they will feel more valued Be careful to not over promise � be realistic Remember not to speak to the adults in the room they are observers For secondary schools your interview by School Council will be rigorous � they are astute and delve deeply!

14. Presentation They are mainly assessing your delivery � above content Usually 5-10 minutes on a school improvement initiative that your could bring to the school 2 or 3 high level points then draw down a little further A few slides with bullet points � not too heavy Be credible/personable/engaged � think about your audience Have good body language and eye contact

15. Sharing your vision Critical to the role of Headship is working with the governing body and others to create a shared vision and strategic plan which inspires and motivates pupils, staff and all other members of the school community. This vision should express core educational values and moral purpose and be inclusive of stakeholders� values and beliefs. The strategic planning process is critical to sustaining school improvement and ensuring that the school moves forward for the benefit of its pupils.

16. Themes to explore may include: Local, national and global trends Ways to build, communicate and implement a shared vision Strategic planning processes Strategies for communication both within and beyond the school New technologies, their use and impact Leading change, creativity and innovation Strategies for raising achievement and achieving excellence The development of a personalised learning culture within the school Models of learning and teaching Principles of effective teaching and assessment for learning Current issues and future trends that impact on the school community The rich and diverse resources within local communities � both human and physical The wider curriculum beyond school and the opportunities it provides for pupils and the school community Models of school, home, community and business partnerships The work of other agencies and opportunities for collaboration Strategies which encourage parents and carers to support their children�s learning The use of a range of evidence, including performance data, to support, monitor, evaluate and improve aspects of school life, including challenging poor performance The principles and practice of quality assurance systems, including school review, self-evaluation and performance management Stakeholder and community engagement in, accountability for, the success and celebration of the school�s performance

17. In-tray exercise In secondary interviews you are more likely to have an �in-tray� exercise They are assessing your communication and prioritising skills Give a rationale for your priorities e.g. Health and Safety Control and Delegate Follow up delegated tasks

18. RAISEonline You may be asked to comment on a RAISEonline and either report to governors or lead an SMT meeting They are assessing your familiarity with the document e.g. key pages They want to know how you can communicate key findings and trends and link this to action points (If you have overnight type the notes for the following day)

19. Financial Monitor You may be given the school�s financial monitor and be asked to comment on it They are looking to see if you can effectively scrutinise a monitor and recognise noteworthy items

20. The Night Between Reflect on first day What have you/ haven�t you demonstrated Are there things you still need to know Revisit your prompt sheet Take time to be still, ask God to be with you, pray for the governors that they are able to make a wise decision

21. DAY 2 Primary Leadership and Management Curriculum Secondary You should expect questions exploring your leadership skills, your ability to motivate and develop your staff, your capacity to build relationships and your financial and operational management skills.�

22. Interviews Slow down Watch tone � open and warm Explain motivation Use evidence from previous year Be clear about we and I Base on what you have already done and can evidence

23. CONTEXT why this came about or need to be addressed e.g. OFSTED, standards. BACKGROUND staff, pupils, school, stakeholders RATIONALE why I did it this way, who I am beliefs and passions, constraints, further research, talking to people. ACTION my role in this IMPACT the results, why I bothered. My impact hard (hard) and soft evidence (mind sets, attitudes, morale, confidence, empowerment, behaviour, attendance, exclusions, engagement) KNOW FACTS AND FIGURES

24. Start to fill in your own prompt sheet