Finding the right post

 

• View Part 1 transcript

  Hello, I'm the Reverend Hilary Barber and I'm the Rector of Chorlton-cum-Hardy in South Manchester.

  As Chair of Governors of both a Church of England primary school and a local authority high school, I have found myself in a position where I have needed to appoint both deputy heads and headteachers. This has been a rewarding process and I want to share with you some of that experience.

  When the time feels right to start applying for your headship, be sensible about geography. Consider whether you are willing to relocate, or live in temporary accommodation whilst you're looking for a house, and what impact that might have on those who live with you. If you are not wanting to relocate, how far is it realistic to commute? Remembering that you can be adding time on to your day both before and after. In a recent interview, a candidate pulled out of the job because he realised that he couldn't drive the journey he had just experienced on a daily basis, and he ended up wasting both his time and mine!

• View Part 2 transcript

  Before filling in your application, have you discussed with mentors and others whether they think you're ready for the challenge, and are you experienced enough to meet whatever is thrown at you? A governing body will want to see that you have the right experience to draw on, and that when certain problems or opportunities arise, you are able to reflect quickly and to be decisive. Not only will you need to be able to demonstrate your experience but you must also be up to speed with the latest government thinking on education and be able to show that you can take on new ventures with excitement and not grudgingly. Schools need to keep moving forward, not maintaining the status quo. Make sure that you can demonstrate experience across a broad area of both curriculum and teaching and learning. Data analysis and finance are usually the weakest areas of most applications.

  Are you ready to begin looking at an advert? Read lots of adverts and ascertain what skills schools are looking for. Shop around and get a feel for the market, as it now stands. You might want to talk to an education consultant or School Improvement Partner, to give you feedback on what schools are looking for. In other words, collect as much information as you can, and then begin to see where you might fit in. Clearly you will have identified what your own strengths are, and if they will match up with the person specification that is given. Read the job description carefully, and see what the School Development Plan tells you, together with the latest Ofsted report, and 'Raise online' information. Can you identify what skills the school is looking for and can you supply them?

• View Part 3 transcript

  If you want to be on the long list and hopefully the short list, you need to decide what it is about you that will make you stand out above the others. What is the unique feature about your own ethos and passion for working in education? Governors will like to know what your priorities will be, and what it is that drives you to be you. Are you concerned about the day-to-day running of the school, will you be seen on the corridors, will your door be often shut or will it be open for staff and pupils alike? Can you delegate and trust colleagues, or do you like to perform everything yourself? How can you add particular value to a school that is already up and running? Is there a moral imperative that motivates you? Do you lead from the front or the back? Can you be visionary about becoming a high performance school, offering a second specialism, even expanding on vocational courses currently on offer, and the International Baccalaureate?

  When you complete your application form remember that somebody has got to read it, and many others, so for goodness sake keep it to the point. If you give too much information, it won't be read properly or digested. Make sure you answer the questions asked, and not something different, and always give examples to qualify your answer, and give the reader confidence that you really know your subject, and exude confidence. Have the courage to let someone else read it before you send it in, check you've got the right spelling, grammar and punctuation. Have you said what you really wanted to say, and have you sold yourself to the best of your ability?

• View Part 4 transcript

  There are of course different models of headship. You need to have thought through which model rests comfortably with you, and what model the governing body may be looking for. In a recent interview, some members of the interview panel were terrified of the candidate who scared the staff and pupils by their over-confidence, and the job went to the internal candidate, who became the 'devil they knew' well and ultimately trusted in the end.

  I would always encourage a conversation with the chair of governors during the process about what style the previous head displayed, and if the governors are looking for more of the same, or something different. The chemistry between the head and the chair of governors is of paramount importance, because if the relationship were to break down, that's when things start to really go wrong. A good relationship will require commitment and nurturing, knowing certain boundaries, and remaining professional at all times.

  It is always good to give the governing body too much information; new governors will require extra help if they are to be brought up to speed quickly and effective, keeping them up to date with both strategy and target-setting. When it comes to exclusions and staff disciplinary, you will want to be sure that the governing body is ready to back you. Work hard in this area and reap the rewards accordingly.

  Education changes lives, and to be in education demands a high commitment, and a vocation to be there. If you think you have what it takes to become a headteacher, go for it! The rewards will be huge if you can deliver on what is required, and meet the demands of staff, pupils, parents, and the local politicians and community in which you will be located. If you have the metal - enjoy. Thank you.