Why do schools (have) to do this?

[Oldie73]

Fessing-up - not actually a teacher anymore, but emotionally attached to someone who is.
Teacher recruitment - job-seeker is invited to interview at a school. Excitement, trepidation, hope that this is ‘the one’ etc, etc. Get to interview and find there is an internal candidate. Interviewers are not interested in material brought by external candidates to show professional development or proposed working hours (part-time or share). Surprise, surprise, unsuccessful in application.
Why do schools have to do this? Are they inspected on their recruitment processes? It’s such a waste of time for the candidates with no hope, and themselves, for that matter!

I think it's because legally they have to advertise a job and show that they have gone through due process. I've been on both sides - as an external candidate, I was everything they were looking for but the job went to the daughter of a teacher already there! I got my last job after doing it on a temporary basis for 5 months first...I felt a bit sorry for the other candidate as I knew it was mine unless I really messed up the observation!

My current job I got when I was up against 4 internal candidates. It’s not always just a waste of time!

Thanks for pointing out both sides. Teachers are such busy people and schools such busy places, you would hope there would be a way to avoid this when it IS likely to be a waste of everybody’s time - for example, in a case where they school were happy for the internal candidate to ‘transfer’ into a post. A friend told me yesterday that early in her career she travelled from the SE of England to Taunton for an interview, only to discover that the internal candidate got the job.

I'm really sorry that your person has had a disappointing experience.

Recruitment in schools is certainly very flawed but there are certain restrictions, particularly the need to see a candidate teach a real class, which dictate the usual processes. Recruitment is disruptive for the school, too. Every additional shortlisted candidate means another class who have to have their day disrupted by an interview lesson so we do not shortlist simply to make up the numbers. If your friend was shortlisted then they were a viable candidate based on their application.

It's not usual to bring evidence of professional development to an interview unless it has been specifically requested. This is usually demonstrated in the application, and occasionally an offer is made conditional on the presentation of proof of qualifications, e.g. NASENCO / NPQSENCO. It's also not usual to discuss part-time or job share arrangements at interview unless these were specifically stated in the advert. Were they? Usually a candidate would express an interest in flexible working at the point of application, and the finer details would then be negotiated after an offer has been made.

Thank you for some insight. The subject taught DOES require evidence to be brought, and yes, part-time and flexible were mentioned in the advert which is why it was obvious the school weren’t seriously interested in my friend as a candidate. It’s because it wastes so much time for all involved that I think there should be a more efficient way that caters for the particular circumstance.

Having interviewed for teachers, we always followed full HR guidance, including anonymized shortlisting.

Where we did interview an internal candidate they had to meet and evidence in interview, the same criteria as all other candidates.

Interviews were always carried out by a panel, including governors, so not all will know the internal candidate.

There is a huge emphasis on safeguarding, of course, and under safer recruitment interviews must follow safer recruitment protocols, including questioning each candidate about safeguarding and seeking up-to-date references.

I have interviewed internal candidates. Notably was when the internal candidate ( supply teacher) had misread the interview task and didn't meet the expectations of the teaching task. Of course she could not be appointed. An other candidate was appointed. In fact, in that scenario the first person offered the post had already accepted another job, so it went to the candidate who next best met the criteria.

I'm happy to answer any questions @Oldie73.

I was recently up against an internal candidate and I got the job and she didn’t, on my induction day I spoke to another person who had the same experience. Sometimes internal candidates are put forward for the experience but aren’t quite ready for the job. Very frustrating though if it feels like a done deal!