To be disappointed in the response to my questions at interview?

[MinimumPayment]

I was interviewed for the most senior non-teaching position in a secondary school.

TBH by the time we got to my turn to ask questions I'd already decided I wasn't that bothered about the job. There was no attempt to sell the job or the school to me, the chair of governors was positively frosty and the head gave me the creeps! They've also had a rash of adverts for office jobs in recent weeks and this post was first advertised, then re-advertised months ago, so they obviously have some issues.

So, my first question was an attempt to find out about those issues. I asked about the structure of the finance and admin staff (which I'd be leading). They either didn't know or didn't want to tell me and really didn't answer the question. Doesn't really matter what the issues are, it would be my job to resolve them and I love a challenge, but I didn't think it was unreasonable to ask.

Then I asked what the key objectives are for the next 12 months. There was silence (panel of 4) everyone looked at the head who eventually said, to continue to get good results. Now, it's OFSTED "good" and gets results close to the national average with an intake with higher than average SEN and very high FSM, so it does well, but it's not like there's no room for improvement. AIBU to think they could have come up with something strategic to talk about? Planning for next year should be done or well underway, they must have some interesting objectives, surely?

Or did I get what I deserved for trying to be clever and putting them on the spot?

What would have been better questions?

It is a perfectly reasonable question to ask the leadership team of a school with a multi-million pound budget what it plans to spend its money on in the coming year(s).

Good questions are things that will genuinely affect your decision about taking the role. In my experience honest ones tend to be about the amount of notice you get for working on a weekend or how trading is provided.

For a junior position maybe, but for a leadership role in a school I'd be shocked if someone asked about notice for working weekends!

I think you asked perfectly legitimate questions, OP and agree with others you have dodged a bullet. Their responses suggest a real lack of vision which would make achieving anything very difficult.

Wishing you luck in finding a more suitable position.