Explain how they appoint head teachers and how this has happened at my DC secondary school

[GabrielleChanel]

DC attend a leading local secondary school with impressive head. Not sure if it's relevant but it's a faith school with enormous catchment area.

In 2021 school becomes a Multi Academy trust with several local primaries
Impressive Head leaves to becomes MAT head/CEO
We are told that 2 x deputy heads will act up for 1 year while recruitment takes place.

This happens.

During this time 1 of the deputy heads applies to be head. By chance one of my DC are on the interview panel and said deputy head was least prepared and rather underwhelming in comparison to the other candidates.

Governors let us know that they were "unable to recruit"

An executive interim head is appointed for 1 term starting in Sept - but he is still here.
Interviews were held again last week and the deputy has reapplied and been appointed this time.

If the deputy wasn't good enough to appoint last summer how is it okay now?!
I am confused.
Can someone explain?

TIA

Presumably the deputy has used the past year build their knowledge, skills and experience to make them appointable? Perhaps their interview technique improved?

People can improve. Thankfully.

Students making judgement on appointments of headteachers is crazy.

I'd be glad they had someone, plenty of head vacancies go unfilled.

Would presume the deputy took on board the feedback from last time, worked on his weaknesses and was a stronger candidate for it .

Probably better prepared this time and fixed the things they didn’t do well on last time.
I don’t think there is anything weird or surprising about this. Failing an interview once doesn’t preclude you from ever getting a job again.

As above the deputy could have filled some gaps in their skills or the governors could have changed what their are looking for, perhaps because there is some additional support coming from elsewhere in the MAT structure.

it’s a bit strange to think that just because someone was once unsuitable for a role that will be the case forever more- if that was true every one of us would still be in our first ever job.

Being a faith school may well be relevant. For example Catholic school teachers have to go through approval processes with the Church I believe.

Or he could’ve taken notes on the process and studied and acceptable answer or expectation to improve his chances of success?
Interviews are based on points - more points the better chance of getting the position, they also do a presentation on the vision for the school.

Ridiculous having kids interviewing staff especially existing staff. Of course they can appoint him.

Maybe some mates on the new panel...?....thats my experience when i was teaching....thankfully now early retired !!...Panels in places i used to work seem to only appoint the most incompetent ruthless bullies !!

Isn't it self explanatory? Depute has had feedback and has used it to improve capabilities / interview technique

Possibilities....

• deputy was crippled by nerves/having a bad day first time
• different panel asked different questions that played to deputy's strengths this time
• deputy didn't really want the job last year but has since reconsidered and made a better effort
• deputy realised they didn't interview well last year and worked on technique/knowledge/skills in the interim
• panel may have revised job description/person spec and reconsidered what they want from their Head, more in line with deputy's skills
• panel might have decided to make the best of a bad job and appoint the deputy just to have a bod in post

Only time will tell, and people can perform very differently in interviews to when they are doing the job. Children's views are important, but they can't possibly be expected to fully appreciate all the skills and knowledge required to be a successful Head. You'll just have to wait and see!

Sound's like a fair process. From experience in the public sector, interviewees are asked a series of questions and points are awarded to each answer. The panel then collate the point's and the highest is offered the role, unless they feel that no candidate meets the criteria. People are able to apply for the same role if its readvertised.

What is there to explain? First round of interviews - no suitable candidate. Second round of interviews, appointed a suitable candidate, who had made a stronger application than their first attempt earlier

Ignore anything the children's panel say, they are just there so that other adults involved can see how the candidates interact with children. They cant make any judgements

Plenty of people apply for a job, are unsuccessful, and then apply again later down the line.

Do you think if you miss out on a promotion you should never get promoted?

Unless there were serious concerns about them I don’t understand your issue with it? As others have said they could have used the time to gain experience/brush up on interview skills. Or there might have been something else impacting their performance in the first round, like a personal stress that has now passed.

Something similar happened (I think) at my children's school some years ago now. The very longstanding head announced retirement but despite lots of applicants nobody was recruited. It's quite a long time ago now, so I can't be 100% certain but I think one of the deputies applied but was not appointed. The retiring head agreed to stay on longer and when the post was readvertised the deputy was appointed - and has proved to be an excellent head in fact.
I assume that the unsuccessful candidates received feedback after the first round of applications and that the deputy took that on board, worked on their weaknesses and came back as the strongest candidate. It's not that unusual is it? I'm in a completely different sector but have failed to get jobs on my first application but been succesful as little as 5 or 6 months later because I have dealt with the gaps in my experience or knowledge that ruled me out first time.