Can't get AHT role : secondary schools

[ILikeBeansWithKetchup]

Is anyone else finding it impossible to break into SLT in secondary schools?

I have been applying for AHT roles for the best part of 10 years now and have been shortlisted three times. I think I have applied for 40+ jobs and it is destroying my self esteem, to be honest.

There is probably a bit of a backplot about my current school not being great at developing middle to lower senior leaders sufficiently - so we have no extended SLT or associates for example. All the stuff that could have measurable 'impact' which seems to be what applications want is done by SLT.

I was a head of year (huge school so that is in charge of 15 staff and 400 kids) for 14 years. I have led small departments (successfully); I am a much valued commodity as I teach a core subject. I now lead the work of our National Support School. I am making this sound more important than it is because that's what I do in applications, obviously! I haven't worked in more than one school (because I can't get a job!) but I am a governor at another school and do now work in school to school support. I just don't get it. I have part NPQH equivalent, safeguarding lead training and a 2:1 from a RG university. All this should help?

I now see whippersnappers coming up form below me with about 8-10 years teaching experience and think I am now too old..

It sounds arrogant but I always thought I would lead a school; they need school leaders, after all! It makes me desperately sad. And makes me wish I had never gone into teaching at all.

I keep being told 30 -40 people are applying for assistant head posts... I do ask for feedback. It's generally a bit nebulous but I get told I wasn't 'quite right for their role' or they had people already doing a similar job, or I get told I don't sell myself enough .

Any empathy or advice gratefully received!

I have cast my net wider in the last two years but I do have a DH who is not very domestic and two DSs at secondary school so a key age - not keen for them to experience upheaval so am not able or prepared to have a longer commute than about 40 minutes or to move house - so my options have become more limited. One of the few interviews I had was for a pastoral role in the Lake District (300 miles away) but, after some soul searching, I didn't go. Bad mistake.

Business manager (although slightly different role spec and called something else!).

Keep trying and yes, maybe HoD to get your foot in the door?

Well school's need really good business managers these days!

Good Luck!

schools...

I think it's hard to move to a school in a pastoral role at AHT level. A big part is knowing the families and ethos inside out and so it's quite a risk for a school to get an external candidate to lead on pastoral.

I think leading a department might be a really useful route to take and then make the step up.

Rather than applying for loads of jobs, perhaps look for one you absolutely love the look of. Then find out all you can and live and breathe the school.

Hi Squeeze - tru about poastorla and I think this is exacerbated by the fact that a lot of schools (round me at least ) are devaluing pastoral and getting rid of specific pastoral pots at SLT. I haven't beenshortlisted for the few pastoral jobs I have applied for which I have found hard to cope with.

When I first started applying for jobs I was applying with your second bit of advice in mind. I became very invested in it - went on tours, read documentation; no dice.

Ironically, the interviews I've been to are the ones where I haven't been on a visit so I have started to view those as a bit of a waste of time as they are often hard to arrange.

that should say 'true about pastoral' !

I think pastoral is making a comeback after a decade of removing the roles, giving them to non-teachers and asking SLT instead to just crunch data and deal with the most serious behaviours.

But if I was a Headteacher and I had a brilliant head of Year who knew the families inside out and was looking for promotion and an external brilliant head of Year and there was not much between them, I'd probably pick the internal candidate for that role. Other roles not at all but for pastoral yes probably.

No sign of that respect for HoYs round here yet squeeze but I live in hope!

I find it hard to prove 'impact' compared to HoDs and HoFs , I think. There has, of course, been lots of it; it's juts not very measurable...

Yes I agree. You can show data in terms of lateness and attendance. And qualitative data when you've resolved bullying issues for example. I had a couple of letters parents wrote to me saying that thanks to my quick and decisive interventions their child was not suffering any bullying and was happy to be in school, one said "I've got my boy back again" and I kept these as "qualitative data" (and also because it made me pleased that my work had made a difference). So case studies might be worth keeping (just change the names).

Detention and exclusion data can be useful but of course this can depend on the parameters. If the guidelines change then it's not always clear. For example if one term you have a crack down on smoking and then after that the Headteacher says that there are too many exclusions for this and to change the sanction now to a 2 hour detention then the data is not measurable. You can twist it every which way to be honest.

Have you sent off speculative applications? DDs school has had a new head and he is systematically replacing everyone it seems. They've advertised dozens of posts including AHTs and SLT posts. But he has said if he could save the costs of advertising across the uk and just use the local paper to advertise plus adding any speculative applicants to the interview list he would be keen to do that. It would save him a few thousand pounds in advertising doing it that way so he's happy and you would get put to the top of the pile too.

Haven't thought of that Odins. I might try that after this resignation date if all else fails! I need to be more assertive!.

We do have a woman in our department who did exactly that. Mind you, she ahs been a HoD and AHT and now seems happy bossing everyone about on a short term supply contract
God knows on what financial deal

OP, schools are data driven. I can't see that changing any time soon. I think candidates will be shortlisted who can show impact using data to back this up.
Can you show that pupils in your year/house do well? Better after an initiative you have used?

I have friends in your position. One has now said that she is giving up. Another is reluctantly making a sideways move to HOD. As HOD you are managing colleagues in a v different way to HOY. Could you change 'years' to have a year 11 year group? You would have a lot more opportunity to show impact with data that way.

I'm not a HOY anymore user but when I was we rotated year groups so I have been a HOY11 many times : the trouble is claiming academic results I think is eyed with suspicions (although I do!). I am head of a sixth form dept with outstanding ALPs. Nothing seems to be good enough and I think they simply wants HoDs over HoYs no matter how much I try to prove my worth. In fact my last application , the man said 'I protested a bit too much' about the pastoral side of my work and should downplay it!

The initiatives bit is hard as I haven't really had my fingers in those pieshave resorted to lying

My mottos has always been 'If at first you don't succeed' but it is getting wearing, especially when I see a not very impressive (interpersonally) new (and young, former pupil) AHT in my school and lots of younger people getting posts I applied for in other schools. Am trying not to be bitter!

There's a great job working at The Globe at the moment but they pay is £10000 less than what I am no now. and I probably wouldn't get shortlisted

You can't put a price on happiness though!

That may well be true!

What role do you do now? It sounds like you might be applying for AHT jobs from a classroom teacher role and I think that would put heads off. When they're shortlisting, the first thing they'll look st us current role - if they've got six applicants who are current AHT/HOD/HOY then your application might get put to one side before they even notice your past experience. If they do see it, they might wonder why you're not doing it now (do you cover that in your letter?)

To be blunt, your current school seem to have made it clear you won't get AHT jobs there. If you want one, I think you're going to have to swap jobs, even if that means going in as HOY or HOD.

Ummm.. no, not just a classroom teacher... as it says in my OP, I was a HOY (for 14 years) and am now a strategic leader of school to school support (TLR1c so paid as much as many AHTs). PPs have suggested a sideways move to HoF might help. I loved being a HOY but 14 years was enough as it was so draining (and often a bit thankless). My current job is far less demanding but also far less satisfying or engaging. It was seen as a short term stepping stone, really.
I do mention the change of roles in my letter and make my new job sound really impressive!
I do think one of the issues definitely is current AHTs applying for another AHT role : I am not sure why they do it. I guess they might get an increase in pay from school to school or be looking for jobs nearer home. I certainly know the chap who got the job at my place recently quite openly stated he wanted the job because it was walking distance from his house.

I do agree that I could consider moving sideways but even those jobs are somewhat thin on the ground!

I think you have to apply for the right role for a first AHT job, that fits your experience. Trouble is, there are usually more progress and teaching/learning roles on an SLT than pastoral. What kind of role do you want?

Yes, I know you have previous experience. I was wondering re your current job title etc. It was me who suggested a sideways move further up. I'm trying to be helpful, really. Trying to see it from a shortlisting point of view.

Aha! Sorry fucker :)

My current job is rather hard to define. I spend half a side explaining it in my letter of application.

fallen : the thing is I'm not fussy. The T and L roles do appeal but seem to go to HOFs HODs rather than people like me with training experience. Teaching and learning is really code for 'standards' isn't it? I think they perhaps don't see how I could support and challenge a head of department if I haven't been one (although I have, as it goes)

I would prefer a pastoral role really : there aren't many about so I apply more widely. The job I did get shortlisted for last year was pastoral so all is not lost, I guess.

Alternative idea: have you done a nationwide search for pastoral AHT roles? If you look at the exact person specs for those, you could start honing application letters ready to go, fill any gaps in your cpd/experience and be ready with a shit hot application when the right role comes up.

Or, how well do you get on with your HT? Any chance of convincing them to keep you in same job, but swap you onto leadership scale, maybe even give you AHT title, so that when you're applying you seem like you're already doing that job?

First idea a good one.

The second one : well, interesting. he is my direct line manager. I am not sure he is very interested in doing more for me than he has already done... he certainly wouldn't do the second. Relations are cordial but chilled cordial, shall we say...long story. He does value me as a teacher but doesn't seem to want me on his SLT. He gives me jobs to do but no big projects. The NSS thing was his idea but then he does it all himself and forgets to involve me most of the time! It's one of the reasons I want to move on really... I'm not really a troublemaker