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Original poster

School admin assistant interview - so nervous!

39 replies

shellby28 · 21/08/2020 12:26

So I have an interview next week for a role as a school admin assistant and I am absolutely terrified!

I have lots of experience in SIMS and safeguarding, just not in a school setting. Does anyone have any advice as to what interview questions might come up or anything I should swot up on?

Thanks!

OP posts:
MeredithGreysScalpel · 21/08/2020 12:34

You’ll need to show you’ve researched the school - they’ll want to know why you want to work there. Safeguarding is the big one - have a watertight answer for that. Confidentiality. How you’d handle a difficult parent. How you manage your workload - lots of distractions in that environment, etc. Good luck!

Thingsdogetbetter · 21/08/2020 13:08

Schools love their policies! "Be aware of and follow the safeguarding/h&s/gdpr/etc etc policy" is always a good start/finish to just about any answer. They'll all be available on their website so you could read up first. Have a prioritising workload answer ready with example, as well as a meeting deadlines one.

Good luck!!

Goingdownto · 21/08/2020 13:15

Schools are a community, so I might say I want to be part of this and contribute blah blah. Being approachable and able to talk to a wide variety of staff is also useful.

Keepitup · 21/08/2020 13:17

One question I was asked was "how are with clearing up vomit?" Not sure if that is expected of all school admin assistants but that may be mentioned.

Keepitup · 21/08/2020 13:17

*how are you...

Original poster
shellby28 · 21/08/2020 15:18

These are really helpful, thank you!

@Keepitup I'm going to have to say I'm fine with that aren't I?!

OP posts:
The80sweregreat · 21/08/2020 15:42

Good luck with the interview.
I was asked about blood and vomit when I had a midday job interview : of course I said ' it's fine ' ! ( it's not really , but you have to be fake sometimes..) I got the job.

Safeguarding is huge in schools so a bit of homework on that online wouldn't go amiss. Look up the school websites and get a feel from that if it's a community type school ( our one is ) and what else they provide ( after school clubs or breakfast clubs) etc.
let us know how it goes too. Our office staff are awesome and so good with the more challenging parents and problems.

BathshebaKnickerStickers · 21/08/2020 15:46

Anything special you can offer - I’m a school support assistant and I have completely taken over the website. No-one else could/wanted to do it but we had to have a good website with up to the minute info - esp recently.

I do all of that....so if there was something like that you could offer.

Or sports coaching...! My school is massive on sport and anyone who can offer sports coaching or anything extracurricular would be snapped up.

Original poster
shellby28 · 21/08/2020 16:00

Oh thats a great idea @BathshebaKnickerStickers - I'm quite tech-y so could definitely pick up some ICT stuff.

I've been in a safeguarding role for 10 years so hopefully that will go in my favour. I've never been so nervous about an interview before so I think i must really want it!

OP posts:
alphabetsoup1980 · 21/08/2020 16:03

They will 100% ask you how you would deal with a difficult parent. They can be truly hideous (speaking as a teacher and not hideous parent! !l)

You have to be firm but and make sure you ensure boundaries are kept. Make sure they feel listened to but that they don't take the mick. That sort of shizzle! ! You'll be finexpensive. Lots of good luck xxx

KatherineofTarragon · 21/08/2020 16:48

May ask you how you would deal with irate parent/carers. Children with friendship issues. Working to deadlines- what would you do first and why. May give you three scenarios and ask you to put in order of priority. Eg:
child with red mark on head, having been in fight.
Angry Parent in reception demanding to see head.

Sports trip now moved to lunchtime and using mini bus to go offsite. All parental consents needed by 10.30 am via email.

How would improve such and such. How would you deal with conflict issues in the office ( fellow staff). You will almost most definitely have at least 2 practical tasks, probably one construct a letter writing task and 1 Excel spreadsheet.

All of the above have come up at all sch ints i have attended and i work in a school! Good luck OP. 🍀

KatherineofTarragon · 21/08/2020 16:53

Ooops, also ( which i have just failed in my above post) you may be given a document to read and circle misspelt words and grammatical errors , incorrect dates etc. For example newsletter advising sch reopens on weds 5th Sept 20 when that Wed is actually 6th Sept , that sort of thing.

FiligreePot · 21/08/2020 17:29

These are some of the questions I recently got asked for a school admin role:

  1. Why this school ....?
  1. This role requires you to have a variety of skills eg organisational. What other skills do you feel you could offer.....?
  1. Sometimes parents become angry/aggressive etc. How would you handle this?
  1. Most important thing is safety and well being of the children. What would you do if you overheard or saw something that concerned you?
  1. This role involves using a variety of computer systems. What computer skills do you have and what programs are you comfortable with?
  1. What do you consider your strengths to be?

There were more very specific to the exact role I went for but these were the generic ones.

Holidayz · 21/08/2020 17:59

They might ask you the difference between safeguarding & child protection.
Might ask what you would do if you had safeguarding concerns about other staff members.
How you would deal with a disclosure, who to report to and what you can do if you don't think the school have dealt with it properly.

AdelaidePlace · 21/08/2020 19:30

'In tray' type exercise to see if you can prioritise tasks. So...injured child, parent ringing demanding to see the HT, governor wanting a copy of a policy, staff member needing copying completed, staff member has rang in sick....what do you do first, delegate, put on hold etc.

Organisation, team player, approachable and flexible.

My admin lady was fabulous at diverting calls too, from very determined sales people. Without her fielding calls I would never have completed any of my leadership role!

Original poster
shellby28 · 21/08/2020 23:32

I'm assuming the in tray exercise, it's safeguarding/students first, everything else second? They've not mentioned any practical exercises so I'm glad you've all mentioned them - think I would have been thrown otherwise!

OP posts:
Coffeeandteach · 22/08/2020 00:39

They may ask how comfortable you are looking after sick children and any first aid experience. The few schools I have worked at have the admin assistants see sick/injured children during lesson time- they often end up covering welfare during break time too when short staffed. They also have to look after them whilst waiting for a parent to come and collect them. Each school I have worked in conveniently (or not so for the admin assistants!) had the office next to the welfare- not sure if all schools are like this though.

dicksplash · 22/08/2020 00:51

Safeguarding- look up safeguarding lead and deputy safeguarding lead

Probably be a confidentiality question

Likely to be some practice test, we do typing and sorting lists on excel and updating a previous years letter with new dates etc.

If its a faith school there will be a faith question like 'how will you support the catholic ethos of the school'.

There may be a question about priorities, could be a practical list to order or could be a question at interview.

My favourite question is 'how do other people describe you'.

Rockbird · 22/08/2020 01:48

dicksplash has it. That was pretty much my interview down to the letter typing and excel spreadsheet. Safeguarding and confidentiality is huge so make sure you're well up on that. Demonstrating a sense of humour went in my favour too. Having done the job for a year now (sort of) a sense of humour is essential! So is doing whatever they chuck at you (and sorry, yes, vomit and diarrhoea have reared their ugly heads on my watch!).

Having said all that, it's going to be a very different role when we go back but I absolutely love it. Good luck!

Original poster
shellby28 · 23/08/2020 17:21

These are all so helpful! I'm doing lots of reading this weekend - will let you know how it goes!!

OP posts:
JoannaofCastile · 15/09/2020 16:58

Hi OP, how did it go?

Original poster
shellby28 · 15/09/2020 17:22

Sorry! I forgot to update - I GOT THE JOB!!! Thank you for all your help. Just waiting on checks before I get a start date

OP posts:
Spindlicious · 15/09/2020 17:48

Well done OP GrinStar

JoannaofCastile · 15/09/2020 18:01

Well done OP.

Happynow001 · 16/09/2020 09:25

Very well done @shellby28 !!🌹

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