Ringing headteacher for teaching application

[watermelon9w]

Hi,
I want to apply for a teaching job in a local school.
Due to Covid, visits are not allowed so in the advert it says that interested candidates can call the headteacher for a chat and then provides a phone number.

However, it's half term and I find the whole ringing up on the phone and asking questions about the school a bit awkward (as in I don't even know what I would ask), unlike a school visit in which you can comment and ask questions as you walk around.

Do I just ring on Monday, despite it being half-term? And what type of questions would I ask over the phone.
The job advert closes on the 2nd week of half term.

Any tips?
Do I just ring? Or would that be rude?

In our school, we usually only answer Qs/chat once an applicant has got to the interview stage. Otherwise it could be never ending and obviously Heads are busy and probably can’t be chatting to the 20+ applicants who often apply and even more who consider it.

You can check from the website when holidays are.
You can always email if it’s the holidays to say you’d like to take up the offer of a chat once term starts again. Recognition that this is the holiday period and so not expecting to speak now would be a positive in my view.

Only do this if you have some genuine questions and not just because you think it looks good. At our school we wonder if PGCE courses are recommending candidates call for a chat as so many are doing it now. It’s actually a bit annoying because often there isn’t actually any real questions and just a candidate wanting to make themselves known. Many questions could already have been answered by looking at the school website, so asking them suggests a lack of careful research in advance....doesn’t look good. And if 15-20 people want a chat, and each takes 10 minutes....well you can see that’s hours of time used up, it’s why we now only chat with candidates who are shortlisted and actually we say that we will be happy to answer any Qs on the day.

Given you weren’t sure what you wanted to ask, I’d question seriously if you need to do it at all.

How can it possibly be halfterm when the Easter hols are literally the break between the spring and summer terms. No half about it.
Its the Easter hols!

And if you do have a ‘chat’ you have to basically ready for the interview. Anything could come up in an informal interview and whilst it clearly isn’t the formal process, they will be building a picture of you and you don’t want that to look poor. So you really do need to have researched the school thoroughly from the website and all the other sources so you can show your knowledge and ask questions that relate to things I. That school and not just general things.

It’s so important too not to sound like you’re quizzing them or criticising the school or have honed in on lots of areas for improvement. And it can easily seem like you’re doing that.

To be honest, in-person conversation where you can see people’s faces and pick up on cues from body language and use your own too is far better for the kind of communication you want to engage in.

NQTs are cheap. Most state schools are interested in them. Being a cheap NQT who has also had some experience is clearly useful, although some people would query why you’re doing supply and didn’t go straight to a great permanent job.

Use the person spec and job description as a checklist. Applying is a bit like an essay with success criteria. After you’ve written your letter, tick each aspect of the job spec and person requirement off if you’ve covered it very explicitly. If not, go back and add to your application to ensure the missing area is covered.

Get someone to read your letter who is good at spotting basic spelling or punctuation or grammar errors...you’d be amazed at how many people send letters or application forms with mistakes in them.

Absolutely don’t send a generic application. Each must be tailored to the specific job and strongly reference the specific school and its requirement. Dont do cut and paste from a different application - it never flows well. And you’d be amazed how many people do this and leave bits about a different school or job in it. Shocking really.

Spend the time on a top quality, very targeted application. That would be better than the phone call to be honest.

@Toomanymuslins

What was your answer vicky?

To the sports question? "Yes, absolutely!"

To the school holidays question: "The next 3 years' holidays are posted on the school website."

You might have been better off asking on the Staff Room board.

I work in a school office. We don't break up until Thursday, and during the holidays we cover the office email from home. If the advert asks you to phone then please do. (Or at least send an email saying you are keen for a phonecall/zoom meeting if the head is available) I know my head would have timetabled in a few hours over the holiday for things like this. It comes with the job title!

@WombatChocolate tbh I wouldn't want to work in a school that sees a problem with supply anyway. Supply teachers are qualified teachers and no less than their permanent counterparts.
I have gone into schools during the pandemic, teach regularly, have schools asking for me back, have had a long-term;

I chose to go on supply for my own reasons. This year i'm looking for permanent. I have started my NQT and have a term done;

If an interviewer put their nose up at me for being a supply teacher, then that's their problem as I know my worth and wouldn't want to work with someone who holds supply staff (teachers and TAs in such small regard).

Does it help if you look round or call a potential employer? I’ve never done it and just wondered if I should have !!!

@IEat i've had interviews without calling and visiting, I think it depends on the school :)

Watermelon, I don’t think schools turn their noses up at supply, but they might well wonder why an NQT was doing supply. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to wonder. Sometimes NQTs who haven’t been able to get a job do supply, although clearly this isn’t always the reason. But I think you’d agree that most NQTs don’t do directly to supply.

Dont take every comment as a criticism of you and respond defensively. There are lots of really experienced teachers on here giving you really good advice. Many are involved in reading applications, mentoring NQTs and in interviewing teachers. Lots have had numerous interviews and worked in lots of schools. There is a wealth of helpful experience.

At interview you might often be asked about aspects of your CV and especially anything that’s unusual. Part of preparing is being aware of what those kind of questions might be and how you will answer. Being defensive never comes across well. You’ll know from your training that you need to be able to accept constructive help and work with experienced teachers. If you’re applying to be an NQT which will involve going through the process with a mentor again, it’s important that you can engage with that constructive help and also that you appear to be someone who is willing to learn when at interview.

When applying for jobs, tone in writing is really important. I’m sure you know that, but striking the balance between being confident and capable and recognising the stage you’re at in your career is important, especially if you hope the school will take you on, on a reduced timetable and put time and resources in getting you through the NQT year.

All the best. I hope producing your application goes really well and you get short-listed and called to interview. I hope you like the school and they like you too and if it’s not this one, the perfect job for you will appear in this next busy half term when so many appointments get made.

@WombatChocolate has given excellent advice in her kind and detailed posts. You could thank her before getting chippy and defensive, OP.

I wish you luck with your application.

I'm a teacher. I don't care if it's petty - it is tge Easter holiday, not half term. You'd be amazed at how many applications don't make it past the first scrutiny because of basic inaccuracies, especially in a popular area with high demand for jobs, so you need to get it right.

In pre-covid times an application wouldn't be considered unless the applicant had visited (unless there was a very good reason why they couldn't, such as a long distance move). These days the equivalent is a phonecall. You do need to ring and then refer to the conversation in your written application.

If you can't get hold of them on the phone, email. If you do get through, also email to thank them for their time and to say you look forward to applying.

In this area there are an average of 70 applications per post. You need to stand out.

I think this thread has shown how every school is different. I have had interviews without a visit in the past so i'm not going to ring the headteacher for the sake of it. I have read their website, watched their school tour which was on YouTube and I've looked at their Twitter page, Inspection reports etc. So it's not as if i'm sending just a generic personal statement.
I have done a lot of research and I can't imagine the headteacher would want 50 phone calls during their Easter holiday (yes it is definitely Easter holiday here), especially one just ringing for the sake of it.

Thank you everyone :)

Yay OP has switched to calling it Easter holiday. The thread has been worth it for that alone!

All the best for the job OP.

In pre-covid times an application wouldn't be considered unless the applicant had visited

What a waste of everybody’s time.

If there are 70 applications I would be very surprised if the headteacher really wants to receive 70 phone calls! And if they do I doubt they would be able to remember each individual that called. Round here there is no where near that many applicants. If you have researched the school enough to make your application personal and appropriate I think that is absolutely fine.

70 applications?! What dreamland is this. 7 of you are lucky where I live.

No school can make a visit mandatory at any time pre selection for interview. It’s not part of any selection process and not considering candidates on this basis would be illegal. It’s an unfair selection criteria. An applicant could live 200 miles away. Or even abroad. It’s simply not acceptable to make all possible candidates visit.

In this area there are an average of 70 applications per post. You need to stand out.

And if all 70 phone up to ask some inane questions, surely nobody is going to stand out! What a waste of the HTs time. Though there maybe someone whose questions are so impressive the HT will remember them, I doubt OP is that person. It might also be possible to be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

It is pretty standard to give a contact to ask questions- not just for teachers. It is for the benefit of the applicant, usually if she needs to know more before she considers applying. It is quite possible that the HT won’t be around anyway and the Easter holidays weren’t considered when the add was placed.

I would ring and say you have looked at all the information available on the school, ask what specifically they are looking for and tell them a bit about yourself. I used to recruit and we were shocked at how few people bothered to ring to ask about the job, do it you will be remembered better.

@PresentingPercy

70 applications?! What dreamland is this. 7 of you are lucky where I live.

Depends on the subject.

@PresentingPercy

70 applications?! What dreamland is this. 7 of you are lucky where I live.

Secondary Music, PE, Drama, Art, History - an awful lot of teachers, both experienced and recently qualified, chasing a fairly small number of vacancies.

Not where I live. Maybe in areas where housing is cheap.

@PresentingPercy

Not where I live. Maybe in areas where housing is cheap.

Ouch! A classic MN barb.

I can’t speak for everywhere but I’m in a fairly expensive town in the Midlands, where housing is not much cheaper than the south-east.

70?! I applied for a job with 17 applicants recently (I know this because they told me when they shortlisted) and they seemed to think this was a lot. This is South East England too near a very popular city.