Working in the school office?

[ColdCrumpetsAndButter]

I've been invited for interview for an admin position at a primary.

I've never worked in a school and my only school office experience is as a parent.

Wondering if anyone can give me any advice on the great bits and the not so great bits of being in an admin role in a primary?

Thanks.

[ColdCrumpetsandButter]

The search continues.

Lots of maternity cover positions are popping up so that might offer good opportunity as well as insight into the famous SIMS that I have seen on every JD so far.

Thanks for all your comments and tips.

[OhDearGodLookAtThisMess]

The OP name-changed, so her update is easy to miss.

[GoldenSyrupLion]

Read the update, people .

[Allice]

As others have said you'll pick up sims easily enough, we just use it for timetables and registers but it can do so much more.

[Allice]

I do it, not well paid really but works so well with my kids.
Parents can be a pain but they're ok mostly, I really like the admin team I'm in, most of the teachers are ok.
My school is private but we're massive on safeguarding, mention it in your interview, it might just be us but I hear about safeguarding lots!
Good luck!

[Bestseller]

Sorry, ive just seem the update. You get that in schools a lot. Often the senior staff are so computer illiterate that they think those who can have some sort of magic power and believe they really need someone who can bring that.

[Bestseller]

As with any other job it very much depends on the management of the school and support of colleagues.

In a happy school it's the best job on earth if you have school age dc (although pay is rubbish). In an unhappy school the office bears the brunt of dissatisfied staff and parents.

[GoldenSyrupLion]

Bad luck. Database experience. Dear god. It's hardly the enigma code.

[PissedOnProsecco]

No news. Not successful. Shame. Liked the people BUT the position was offered to someone who had database experience.

[GoldenSyrupLion]

What news, OP?

[Holidayshopping]

All the ones I know of are v overqualified as theres such competition for term time

Agreed.

Ours usually walks in the school door with me at 7.30. She leaves before me through.

Her hours are 8-4.30 maybe?

[Caffeineismydrug35]

Emphasise your ability to be flexible, to multi-task and to effectively prioritise. If you’re thick skinned and not easily intimidated you should be ok. Most school jobs are underpaid, it’s the price we pay for term time.

[ColdCrumpetsAndButter]

Thank you for sharing. That's hugely helpful.

[ScoobyGangMember]

Look up the school's Safeguarding policy on their website and have a read. Vacancies tend to come up randomly but January is a popular time to make a fresh start. I was asked what I would do first when I started and said I'd check safeguarding procedures, procedures for admitting visitors and whether there were any family situations I would need to be aware of in order to keep the children safe.

[BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou]

DSL is Designated Safeguarding Lead. Usually a member of SLT (Senior leadership team) in my experience.

[ColdCrumpetsAndButter]

Next week! I think competition will be fierce. Is it typical for this time of year to have admin vacancies? There seems to be a few around with a January start.

DSL?

[FantasticBadger]

When is your interview OP? I forgot to say safeguarding safeguarding safeguarding ... top priority for everybody in the school. Any concerns, no matter how minor, report to the DSL.

[BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou]

SIMS is a very easy to use database. Anyone who is IT savvy should be fine with it.

At my school, interviewees go down well if they emphasise that the pupils and their safety etc come first. You need to be flexible, have a sense of humour and work well on your own AND as part of a team.

[ColdCrumpetsAndButter]

Thank you all!

Sims was on the JD and I have never heard of it. Actually it's on all the adverts I seen so far.

The PT term time hours are a huge plus point and I'm ready to get back into the world of work but I can't commit to a FT Job nor a FT Term time job just yet.

I suspect that there will be quite a bit of competition for the position too?

How do you stand out from everyone else? Aside from saying "Pick ME!"

[FantasticBadger]

Oh and don't worry about being over qualified, we all are! HT seem to place a big emphasis on experience with SIMS where actually it's a very basic database that you can run reports out of, not complicated at all. Good luck!

[FantasticBadger]

It's busy, lots of interruptions, nitpicking management a pain ... On the good side you can make parents' and teachers' lives easier, get to know the kids . Be prepared to pour a quart into a pint pot though .. there is never enough time to keep everybody happy!

[HestiasHauntedHandbag]

The issue with shop and hospitality work is that you are expected to work weekends / evenings as that’s when they are busiest. Many parents don’t want weekend work as that is family time. At least office work tends to be Mon - Fri.

[NameChanger22]

Office/secretarial work is very underpaid almost everywhere now. Cleaning and working in a shop pays more. It's also quite complicated, mentally tiring and stressful. I'd advise everyone against it.

[weebarra]

I've worked with a lot of school admin staff - I'm a careers adviser so we have a lot of contact with them. The ones that last are lovely, professional, unflapable and hugely hardworking. As a mum of three, one with ASN, and also doing PTA stuff, I love the school office staff!

[BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou]

I’m totally over qualified for my school office job but with an SEN DS I wanted the family friendly hours.

I LOVE my job! Our children are AMAZING. We have some lovely parents (and some truly awful parents).

The pay is awful (I don’t earn enough to pay tax and was a higher rate taxpayer pre children) but the hours are good.

I’ll say it again I LOVE IT!