To ask what you would have said to this 'what would you do?' scenario question in an interview. Have listed an A,B,C of possible answers.

[spicedplum]

Bit late now as the interview is over but I am wondering whether I said the right thing to this one and it was playing on my mind!

Job interview is for a school administrator job.

Question: A parent sees you and approaches you in the local supermarket after school. She asks you what class her daughter will be in next year. You know the answer as she have the class lists with you. What would you do?

A- Get out the list and tell her in the shop.
B- Tell her you will call her tomorrow and let her know. You don't want to give this information out whilst in a shop.
C- something else?

C say that the class lists will be announced at x time and she will find out then. If she has any questions regarding the class allocation to call the school office in the morning but individual details cannot be disclosed

Obviously C! Explain that you can't share that information with her and she'll have to wait for official communication from the school in whatever way they let parents know this.

C) confidential information until given out via the proper channels, subject to change also until first day of term.

C - tell her an email/letter will be sent out when it’s finalised.

C) Tell her you can't give that information out. She can call the school to discuss.

C of course

C and say that you're not in a position to discuss this .

Not A or B as otherwise you'd be inundated with random parents asking and then complaining "but Bobby so wanted to be with Charlie, is it too late to reshuffle?"

Option C: smile sweetly, say she'll get the letter "in due course" (great phrase for these situations)

C - I'd tell her that I was not allowed to discuss any school related information, wait for announcement through proper channels or contact school via official channels if any concerns

The answer is C. No parent should find out early unless there's a good reason and then it's the heads call.

C -I would brush it off with -oh, I don’t have that information yet, or similar.

Was it asked as multiple choice?

C

C C C
It's not your information to share, and the decision-makers could even change their minds.

C. I would not have the lists with me as not appropriate to be carrying info about children around. And I'd brush off the request by saying the information wasn't available to be shared yet but she'd know as soon as it was or some such blather.

C. I’d just tell them I’m not allowed to say.

First one wins!

Sorry I've changed my mind. I'd have gone for D.
I'm sorry you have mixed me up with someone else

In reality I'd say sorry I don't know yet, you'll find out when everyone else does.

The general rule is what happens in school, stays in school. In practice this means that you don't discuss school business with anyone outside of school (aside from circumstances where it's okay to do so such as safeguarding or whistleblowing).

The answer here would be C and the 'something else' would be "I can't discuss that outside of school but call the office to discuss it if you have a query" then if/when she calls the office you tell her that class lists will be announced on xx-date.

It's obviously C, and it's obviously, sorry, can't tell you, classes are announced on xxx date.

C. You wouldn't be carrying class lists (or any other information about pupils) around with you in the supermarket. And in any case, she can find out when the other parents are informed, through the same channels.

C - would just say I don't know offhand, she'll find out soon in communication from the school.

You obviously say I can't give that information out sorry. So C.

Ooh yes they probably also wanted you to say that of course A would never happen as obviously you wouldn't have that information on your person outside of school