Any secondary school headteachers about?

[Rory786]

Hi,
I am in my second year of a degree in Childhood and Youth studies. I am 35 years old and wanting to find voluntary work experience in a secondary school for this June and July before school breaks up. My last exam is on the 4th June and I would love to gain some work experience.
I was training to be a primary school teacher previously but would love to work in pastoral support now.
Any tips for getting my foot in the door? My friend says I should just turn up at the school and ask to speak to the head because emails do not get answered.

Don't email, write!
And don't turn up in their doorstep unless you've a personal connection with the school! Do you think they're just sitting in their office with their feet up taking callers?

Well I'm not a head but just one step down . I would suggest an email, headteachers usually have a PA or similar who will pass in to the relevant person. I'm not really sure what you mean by a job in pastoral support - behaviour? SEN? Often those types of job are either done by a middle leader or a non-teacher abd hugely competitive (for a low salary). I'm sure you can get some experience in a school though.

How would they get a DBS check done so quickly?

They wouldn't. So wouldn't be able to start until done.

You wouldn't need a DBS if you are just observing and always being supervised by a member of staff which you should be as a visitor.

Many schools have training centres attached, mine does, and are used to people wanting to do observations or work experience, so maybe research one near to you. Also, find out who is in charge of training and get in touch with them.

Email is fine and I would expect a head teacher to have a PA to reply to things like this anyway.

Most schools have someone who sorts out Initial Teacher Training (ITT). Email general enquiries email address which will be on the school website and request for your email to be passed on to the relevant person. Don’t be offended if the response isn’t immediate - it’s exam season and you’re asking a favour.

Thanks everyone for your replies. Yes exam season and DBS are the main barriers.

My friend suggested just turning up and that felt so outrageous to me, I hate having to push myself forwards like this but work experience is not going to fall in my lap and jobs in pastoral support are competitive. I have to be tenacious but I'm not sure how anymore....

I have emailed several schools, and no reply. One school replied to say they couldn't accommodate my request but none of the other schools have replied to my emails.

It takes about 4 weeks to do a DBS so if I get one done now I will be ready to do work experience in June.

My friend is doing the same degree up north (I am in Oxfordshire) and she said people will be biting your hand off to get volunteer work in schools near her. Maybe its a geographical thing?