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School Administrator Jobs

103 replies

Needanewadventure2021 · 06/01/2022 12:50

Hi

I have 18 years of admin experience across different sectors at a senior level, just never in a school setting.
I am extremely unhappy in my current job and want a complete change. I feel working in a school will fit well around my child and feel I have plenty of admin experience to be able to undertake the position in a school well but was wondering how I would go about this without gaining any experience in a school setting? Also I only have A levels and no NVQ's however I am happy to undertake additional training.

Are there any school administrators out there? Any advice? Is there any possibility to progress in the future?

TIA x

OP posts:
Haskell · 07/01/2022 09:42

You will have to put your child into before/after school care, as you'll be working longer than school hours. (Obviously you'll save on childcare costs for the holidays, but BS and AS care have costs)

Schools vary hugely- if you get lovely colleagues, supportive SLT, it will be great- incredibly intense, but hugely varied. You'll never be bored.
The amount of work expected, and responsibility held, for the salary is pretty atrocious. But that applies to pretty much every role in state education.

Needanewadventure2021 · 07/01/2022 09:47

Before school and after school can be easily sorted especially as the main school holidays would no longer need to be covered.

However it is definitely worth widening my search for sure by the sounds of it. I suppose because I have a child, a school seems an obvious option to explore to avoid childcare during the holidays

OP posts:
Needanewadventure2021 · 18/01/2022 18:00

Hiya. Me again. I've been offered 2 interviews and I'm terrified. What can I expect at the interviews? It's ffice admin.

OP posts:
Needanewadventure2021 · 18/01/2022 18:00

*office

OP posts:
CinstonWhurchill · 18/01/2022 18:21

"I've been looking into courses, so any suggestions will be appreciated".

Did you undertake any of the courses suggested OP?

Needanewadventure2021 · 18/01/2022 18:27

I've signed up via my local college. It's completed over 12 weeks

OP posts:
CinstonWhurchill · 18/01/2022 19:25

What courses have you signed up for? SIMS/Arbor and Safeguarding courses can be completed in a day or 3 at most and would support your initial interview. Qualified first aider ( paediatric if EY's) is also advantageous. I appreciate there is a cost to these.

"I suppose because I have a child, a school seems an obvious option to explore to avoid childcare during the holidays".

Most sch admin roles require term time + 5/10 days, and training days, always in the holidays. You will need to look at the contract/job role you have applied for, to determine when you are actually required at work. Out of hours on occasion, to cover parents eves, open days/nights/ results days /plays and productions etc. Depending on the admin role, your head/ or trust will contract you in over holidays if your role dictates it. I work in schs, i have never yet left on time or had an "uninterrupted" holiday/half term.

Have a look at the job specs Op in order to prep yourself for the interviews. Research the roles and understand fully the nature and demands of the role you will be undertaking , the full responsibilities involved and the terminology used and what they all refer to . You will then be able to prepare yourself for the interviews.

With kindness Op, sch admin roles are so fast paced and varied, we simply do not have the capacity to sit training people up. You need to hit the ground running. Any advantage you can give yourself in terms of using sch software , experience of attendance, registers and safeguarding policies / procedures and all legislation in general , will help you as a start.

Needanewadventure2021 · 18/01/2022 20:04

Thank you for the advice.

I've been very honest about my work history and it is clear I have not worked in a school or have experience of school systems. I appreciate a school office job is very busy, but if they don't have time to train up someone who doesn't have the experience, are they just interviewing to make sure they can show they have followed the necessary procedures and interviewed adequate numbers?

OP posts:
Theremustbemoretome · 19/01/2022 10:48

@Needanewadventure2021 I’ve been a SAHM for 7 years and last year I applied for an exams assistant role in the local secondary. I was one of only 4 short-listed for interview and my feedback was that I did very well overall and only narrowly missed out against one other person who actually had specific exams experience. They told me they would “love to have you on board” and to watch their vacancies board (actually just applied for a job there again). This is despite no school experience- they could be lying but why should they?

I have no experience of SIMS etc and was not asked for this either; I was there for 3.5 hours with the other three applicants and we each had an interview, in-tray written test questions, a Word and Excel exercise, tour of the school by HR, and an informal chat for about 15 mins with the people currently in the exams department to find out more about the role etc. It was an exhausting 3.5 hours and I was a bit Shock that they put applicants through this process when meeting them for the first time, however DH said this can be quite a usual process for schools (he works in education, management level).

DH’s school’s recruitment belief is to “recruit for attitude rather than just experience.” I have to say seeing some of the people I’ve worked with over the years I wish more employers considered attitude at least just as important as someone who ‘can hit the ground running.’

Anyway, good luck - you’ve been invited despite your lack of school experience so they presumably see something valuable in your application.

Needanewadventure2021 · 19/01/2022 11:30

Thank you for that. It has played on my mind, and worried me, wondering am I really in with a chance of being successful?

I agree. I feel no matter where you work you will always have to learn their specific systems and processes so no one really, (unless internal) can hit the ground running.

My attitude for the job remains positive. I know I am more than capable of doing the tasks involved. Hopefully it will all work out on the day and I will get my chance.

I really wish now though I hadn't of made that stupid comment about working in a school making sense because I'm a Mom. Of course it would help. But I've worked in an all year round job since my child was 11 months old. However, without going into too much detail my experience of being employed whilst pregnant and being a Mom has been appalling. I've been viewed/treated very differently to my colleagues. Almost made to feel 'you've had a child so you chose to sacrifice career, - you simply cannot have both'. I will never trade being a Mom for anything, yes it's tough but it has never impacted on my job. His rare absences I have always got cover for but in 4 years at school his only been off twice, with chicken pox and covid. However because I am a lone parent I am viewed like I am a liability because naturally everything falls on me. It doesn't matter that nothing has ever affected me working, it's the simple fact that I am a single parent so I have been stereotyped. I could really go on so I would make more sense but it just infuriates me how I have been made to feel. Like being a Mom has ruined my chances of ever being successful. Term time hours will feel like I can get really stuck in to my job and do it well, but also get the time with my child without feeling like becoming a Mom has ruined my chances of ever being successful at anything

OP posts:
CinstonWhurchill · 19/01/2022 20:05

"@Theremustbemoretome I have no experience of SIMS etc and was not asked for this either;".

As an exams invigilator you would not be asked for SIMS experience as you would never ever be entering anything into SIMS/Arbor. Registers would be taken by sch staff and then passed on to attendance. Exam invigilators are casual/temporary /seasonal appointments .

"I did very well overall and only narrowly missed out against one other person who actually had specific exams experience".

So they gave the position to someone who had experience!

Needanewadventure2021 · 19/01/2022 20:27

@CinstonWhurchill can I ask how you got into school administration? And how you gained your experience of the relevant systems?

OP posts:
CinstonWhurchill · 19/01/2022 21:40

@Needanewadventure2021 . Hi Op, i spent 20yrs in commercial as a manager in accounts. I then spent 6 yrs volunteering at my children's schs, list 99 checked , helping out at everything while concurrently running my own business where i held my own DBS . I paid for 2 Capita SIMS training courses and also a Safeguarding officer course. I appreciate this is a lot of money, I then had those quals and 6 yrs volunteering in schs behind me before i started applying for sch roles. I attended in excess of 20 interviews , across 2 yrs , over 8 yes ago before i successfully secured a role. I finally got a break via a friend who worked in a sch and recommended me as, they had previously worked with me. I went in and hit the ground running and was resourceful, although i had the basics, thanks to the courses i had attended.

I have now worked in cover, attendance, BFL, pastoral, safeguarding and sch HR to name a few. I have been able to work long hrs and never needed the holidays as my children were grown by the time i secured a role , so i could be flexible . I love working with children and young people. It is not easy and can be very upsetting at times. I love what i do.

Needanewadventure2021 · 19/01/2022 22:40

Thank you. Unfortunately for me I am unable to volunteer in schools due to me needing to work during the day. I am a single parent with no help from my DS dad's side at all. My parents work so can only help in the holidays. Paying Childcare is pointless. I did, and I actually take home more now working less hours and not paying for Childcare. I have volunteered at my local hospital during the evening and weekends but never in a school due to me working similar hours as a school day. So unfortunately I don't have the availability to volunteer due to my circumstances
At the moment I only have access to the free courses at the local college. Sadly paying for courses isn't an option because I can't even afford our outgoings let alone anything to better my chances in the job world. It all makes me feel pretty crap really and trapped in my life.

I'm just going to go in there and be myself as I can't change the fact I haven't worked in a school. Hopefully they see potential in me

OP posts:
girafferafferaffe · 19/01/2022 23:16

Hey op. I was an administrator in the nhs for 2 years before moving up to PA (still NHS) for another 4. I then had dd, went back to work and couldn't cope with the stress and cost of childcare (I had NOTHING left at the end of the month). We relocated and I stayed home with her for 8 months while I got used to the area and tried to meet some people and make a network. Then I needed to get a job again for financial reasons. But because of my h's job it has to be a job I can be solely responsible for all drop offs and pick ups/holidays. So I went for an office job at a school for 4 hours a day. I didn't have experience with sims or school working but I did have a hell of a lot of admin experience under my belt (which I think you have too) which I was able to demonstrate to them despite having a very long break.

At interview I was completely honest. I needed a job, it had to be one I could do between school runs, and I thought that my experience would be beneficial for them, and after spending some time at home I needed something more. They said I was brave for moving and did mention I was overqualified for it, but I was honest again and said that I found that my last job was too stressful (I had to read and deal with some pretty harrowing stuff in the course of my job) and that I needed something that wasn't like that. I got a phone call back as soon as I got home. I was dropped right in it as I started a couple of weeks before lockdown. I was then lone working and having to figure it out on the run. It's been 2 years now and I am making improvements In the office - the way things are run etc , using my experience that way. There aren't many opportunities for progression though. I can't 'move up' per se. They did offer me a rise since I do so much more than my original JD said which was much appreciated. The only way 'up' would be to try for my boss' job if she ever left. I love working there, the people are nice, and I can still pick up my dd every day.

girafferafferaffe · 19/01/2022 23:20

Forgot to say - I was a gp receptionist before then so they knew I could deal with angry parents/carers!!

Tips for interviews - mention safeguarding, confidentiality, able to deal with many tasks at once, able to deal with a busy office/background noise, able to deal with people in a friendly and efficient manner, what you would do if someone was angry etc. look at the JD and tick what you can do/have experience with. Write examples of those next to them.

Needanewadventure2021 · 19/01/2022 23:45

Thank you for your advice and experience. I really appreciate it. Are you happy with your job and how does it make you feel about little chance of progression?

OP posts:
girafferafferaffe · 20/01/2022 08:18

@Needanewadventure2021

Thank you for your advice and experience. I really appreciate it. Are you happy with your job and how does it make you feel about little chance of progression?
I love my job. It's enough to help my MH (I didn't do well at staying home with dd). The people are lovely which make a huge difference. Every day is different and there's always enough to do! I am ok where I am for now. Dd is in primary and I am actually v early pregnant again so it's ideal for my situation. When they're both older/secondary I may look for something else.
CinstonWhurchill · 20/01/2022 16:48

Op, definitely attend the interview. It will go one of 2 ways, you will either get the role, which would be fantastic. Or, you wont, in which case you will have learnt from that experience in readiness for your next one. Good luck OP.

Needanewadventure2021 · 20/01/2022 16:51

Congratulations @girafferafferaffe

I had to get back into work when mine was 11 months for MH reasons. I swear it saved my life. It's good to know you are happy and have found a good balance, which I feel is really important.

It's hard to know where I fit at the moment. I could stay where I am and work more hours and earn more but ultimately I am really unhappy and feel I am at the end of the road there. A school admin role will mean I am able to use all my acquired skills and experience but not have to worry about finding/paying for childcare in the holidays. I get school office jobs are low paid but I really do value my time as a Mom. As I said in a previous post my experience of working since being a Mom hasn't been very pleasant, so finding somewhere that makes me feel valued but not a burden for being a Mom is important

OP posts:
girafferafferaffe · 20/01/2022 17:06

Thank you! When are your interviews?

Needanewadventure2021 · 20/01/2022 17:19

Beginning of February. I'm so nervous

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UncomfortableSilence · 20/01/2022 17:42

I'm in school admin, Finance, so a bit more specialised. I had no school experience, I'd worked in Private banking in the city so a complete change.

You can learn the school systems, SIMs, FMS they are easy to navigate.

Read the school website and get a real feel for the ethos of the school. You will be asked about Safeguarding, I was asked who is responsible for safeguarding in a school. The answer is everyone not the DSL! I would say the most important thing like someone above mentioned you need to be so flexible and not get flustered. I am interrupted constantly, you need to be able to drop things and move to something else all the time.

I do enjoy it, the pay is terrible but I'm not there for that, you do crawl to each holiday it's exhausting the kids and staff are lovely though!

Good luck.

girafferafferaffe · 20/01/2022 20:21

You'll do great. Print the jd off and go through ticking which ones you meet and write down why - include examples. Read the safeguarding policy, and have a look at any other policies related to your job too - like GDPR.

I took all of this with me to my interview and didn't need it in the end but it's good to have the experience of writing it down to embed it in your mind.

Needanewadventure2021 · 31/01/2022 15:41

Hiya. Just thought I'd update. I GOT THE JOB I WANTED. They interviewed 6 and have offered it to me.

I am over the moon and quite frankly cannot believe how well it went and perfect it feels for me. My first interview since 2015 and I aced it. I was so scared and nervous. I was the only one to complete the task fully and correctly. There was a panel of 4 and honestly I left feeling so proud of myself in how I presented. Their reactions were so positive I just felt completely at ease with their questions. So even if I wasnt successful i knew I'd I've done well.

Thank you for all your advice. I am so happy right now

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