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How we got ourselves a new Headteacher

A guide for the perplexed

Get in there early


Its part of the duty of Governors to concern themselves with the welfare of the Headteacher, including their career development. So this should be a part of their PM routine and the subject of candid chats. Where are they going after your school?

Dont think this.(1)


I never want them to go.

Why not?
One day they will have to go. They will retire They will change careers They will be so old they will wither away before your eyes.

Time
A Head is only there for a slice of time. Time is NOT like a cake. The School will be there after the Head has gone, even if you are not, unless it is closed down. Not a good outcome.

Do think
I want my Headteacher to move on at the right time for them, and for the school.

So make it happen
Encourage them to develop their skills Keep talking Make sure that they know that you will always support them in their decision to move on, whenever it happens.

The benefits
Your Headteacher will give you as much warning as possible of their decision as there will be a culture of openness. The whole school will catch this culture and staff movements will be untainted with secrecy. You will be prepared.

The day dawneth


Your Headteacher tells you that they have decided to leave.

Dont think this.(2)


This is a disaster.

Why?
Because it isnt. It is never bad news to lose a Headteacher. If they are a good Headteacher, then they will have enriched the school, and they will have left it better than when they arrived. If they were a poor Headteacher, then what are you moaning about?

But what to do?


Get busy. If the Headteacher has given you advance warning, then seek their consent to share the news with a few Governors on a confidential basis. In that case, you have extra time to plan the steps you must take as soon as a formal resignation is received.

Resignation Actions
The Headteacher will no doubt inform the staff of the school very soon after they give a letter of resignation to the Chair of Governors. This will mean that the news is in the public domain. Chairs of Governors should seek support immediately from other Governors if they have not already done so. It is dangerous to act alone.

What to do about the Headteacher


Dont forget that they are there. They should not actively participate in recruiting a successor, but their ideas should be listened to. They are a useful barometer of staff concerns. They will find it hard to make the change to someone who is going. You owe them a duty of care. Keep them informed.

Dont think this.(3)


No-one must know.

Why?
Because this is about as likely to work as covering up the Eifel Tower.

News Management
You should ensure that parents are aware that the resignation has taken place and that Governors are actively dealing with the matter of securing a successor. Use the school newsletter. Be positive. Use language of praise for the outgoing Headteacher by all means, but ensure you use words such as opportunity, taking forwards, building on success, etc.

News Management (2)


All Governors must be told as soon as possible and the same message needs to go to them. This is not spin. A new Headteacher will bring you opportunities, will take you forwards (obviously) and will build on success. The LEA must be told and should be asked to support the process. A Press Release sounds like panic really and you can rely on the Press to get it wrong.

News Management (3)


Yes, this is important. Parent Governors will be the conduit for most parental concerns. Make sure they know what is going on and are enthused with a positive outlook. Make sure they come back to the Chair of Governors with any messages, good bad or just plain mad.

Call a Meeting
The next major task is to get Governors working to the end of appointing a new Headteacher. It is your responsibility. No-one else will take the lead. Its no use waiting around. So get them going

Important decisions
The first thing to decide is whether the Governors have the capacity to deal with the appointment themselves, or whether they wish to appoint recruitment consultants to do it. The consultancy route is expensive, and will disempower the Governors. But if they cant do it, its the only way. So a skills audit is needed.

If you appoint consultants


They will do (at most) what they say they will do. They will work best if you can properly instruct them in what you need. This will involve Governors in a lot of work if it is done properly. I dont have a lot to say about consultants that is helpful, or even polite.

Empowering yourselves
You can do this. But you can only do it if you are prepared to work together and trust each other to do things. You must never be afraid to ask for help. You must never be afraid to do the right thing.

Dont think this.(4)


We need someone just like the current Headteacher.

Why?
When you appointed your current Headteacher, were they like they are now? If they were, then you have failed them and they have failed you. Marleys Ghost Moment. You are appointing a Head for the Future School and not the Past School.

Getting outside help


You will need advice at various stages You need to identify someone at the LEA who will help. This might well be your attached Inspector. Your SIP is a key player. They know the school as well as anyone.

Get Governors to do things


A Group to work on the Job Description and the Person Specification. A Group to review the Vision of the School and to feed into the first Group. A Group to work on an advertisement, the wording of which should be informed by the above, but not dictated by it. A Group to set up a website.

Job Description and Person Specification


Capture the essence of the schools Headteacher needs and update the Heads Job Description. Think forwards. Prepare a Person Specification to match. This is a vital document and should not just be a wish list. These tasks are related and should involve a Group of Governors. Remember that your thinking may well be infused with where you are now rather than where you will want to be. Be prepared to be flexible.

Vision
This is a really important task, but is extremely difficult. Your school Vision, on paper, will be stale unless you keep it up to date. Even then it will reflect where you are currently heading. There is even a chance you may not be able to find it. So play with it and think about the challenges ahead. Again, be prepared to be flexible as your ideal Headteacher will certainly have a better Vision for your school than you can imagine.

Advertisement
There is only one place to advertise and it is not Loot. But the TES are really rather greedy. Think about what you want from your advertisement.

Advertisement
All TES adverts now go on their website, so do a search in their Jobs section for Headteachers in your sector. The more there are, the more your advert will have to stand out. For Primary Headteachers, you should weigh up whether a Headhunter will be cheaper than advertising.

Advertisement
Do some research. Call some of the schools who advertised a couple of weeks ago and see whether their letterboxes are full of applications. Bear in mind that most applications arrive within a few days of the deadline. Steal other peoples ideas. What looks good?

Dont think this.(5)


We must follow the trends in advertising our vacancy.

Why?
Most adverts are dull and boring. They say that the job is exciting and challenging, but they say it with a leaden voice. They use all the jargon. So you know it? They say too much. You need three or four simple messages and a link to your website. Be honest and stress the challenges. Thats what good Headteacher want. They dont need a job in Dullsville, Tennessee.

The Website
If you do this properly, it will save you a whole load of hassle. Your website should contain links to download all of the key documents.

The key Documents


A letter from the Chair of Governors. The Schools Vision Statement The Job Description The Person Specification The School brochure The School Profile The last OFSTED Report (and if it is old something like it but recent) The Advertisement text. The application form (dont forget this). Maps, pictures (try Google Earth), directions. Links to the School website, the LEA and other local sites. Instructions

The Website
The website should make it clear that all of the Key Documents are available for download. The website should encourage email applications. This will save a lot of scanning and copying. The website should have a dedicated email address for the application, which can divert to the school office.

The Website
Your ICT Department will leap at the chance to do your website. They should have the skills. Make sure that the design is consistent with the school website. Make sure it does what it should do by testing it. Check every link. The documents should all be in easy formats (pdfs or Word). There should be nice pictures.

Getting the Advertisement in


Choose your advertisement time if you can. It may be better to wait. In TES Advertisements, they go on their web pages a few days before paper publication. Make sure your website is live by the Tuesday before publication.

Dont think this.(6)


Now the advertisements in, lets sit back and wait.

Why?
Because you need to get on with designing your shortlisting event and the final selection procedures.

Shortlisting
This is very important. Or is it? You should treat it as an elimination process rather than as an exercise in drooling. You need to identify the nutters, the people who send their applications to every school in the country, and the candidates who are not ready yet.

Shortlisting
You need to have decided who will do the shortlisting at the initial Governors meeting. They should be assisted by the SIP or an LEA representative or both.

Shortlisting
The criteria for shortlisting should reflect the Person Specification. This is your main recruitment document and you will return to it time and time again. Ensure that all shortlisters have the papers in advance. Allow enough time to go through and analyse the applications.

Shortlisting
The best applications will: Demonstrate an appropriate and well argued match with the Person Specification. Evidence assertions. Be literate. Have no warning signs. Youll be surprised how few meet these elementary requirements.

Dont think this.(7)


They look really nice, does it really matter about this or that in the Person Specification?

Why?
If you have got your Person Specification so wrong as that, it really is back to Square 1.

Do the homework
Check the websites of the schools your applicants come from. Do they look as if they are coming from a well organised school? Read the newsletters. Your applicant should get a few mentions as a high-profile member of staff. Check the OFSTED reports for the School. Look at the Leadership & Management section. Check the CVA and recent results trends. Try Googling the names. Always fun, sometimes revealing.

Warning Signs
People who have left their previous employ without any obvious explanation. People with embarrassing gaps in their history. People who use very emotive language. Never confuse passion for education with being a crackpot. People who are so boring you start thinking about something else. People who repeat the same phrases over and over again. People whose applications contain contradictions. People whose applications could be recycled with any one of a zillion schools names where yours is. People who just cant write for toffee.

How to shortlist
Use a 1-4 numbering system for each criterion from the Person Specification. 1 = Does not meet 2 = Meets 3 = Exceeds 4 = Significantly exceeds

How to shortlist
All shortlisters should be consistent with themselves at least. A spreadsheet grid is a good tool for this. Personal knowledge is likely to come into it, but you should really shortlist on the basis of what you can see. If someone has a disability, then they should be shortlisted if they meet all of the criteria. With other candidates, you can decide how many of those who meet the criteria should be shortlisted.

How many to shortlist


More than 1 (or its back to Square 1) No more than 8 (or its going to be a mad mad selection process).

Dont think this.(6)


We must appoint someone.

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