School admin job interview

[ivfbabymomma1]

Hi all!

I applied for a term time school admin job at the weekend, and this morning I've got an email to say the interview is tomorrow.

I feel so unprepared?! Can anyone in this role please tell me some likely interview question?

Also the interview is at a local hotel and not at the school. Does this mean it could be a group interview? Or there's loads of applicants?

Thank you!!!

I would have a look at the school website and have a read up on the sorts of approaches they have to things or if there's anything really great that they do...school pets? Outdoor Forest school? Great music dept? You can ask about this in your interview then...shows you're prepared.

Have a look at their policies...not to learn them, but again, just to find out a little more about the school.

Do read up well on their safeguarding policy. You will probably have a question about safeguarding. The important thing is to always pass on any concerns to your senior.

You could have a question about prioritising work... think about why you would usually deal with any children or parents first, or staff members, or phone calls, or Meetings etc.

You might have a question about how you would respond to an angry parent.

Good luck. I hope it goes well!

Blimey, what school is that which has a budget for hotels for interviews! If you are familiar with Microsoft Office I'm sure you will be fine. They should provide you with training on whatever management information system they use (SIMS, Arbour, Bromcom etc.) Maybe Google school safeguarding and do a little bit of research on the basics. Confidentiality and GDPR might come up as well.

Look at the safeguarding policy. You should be questioned on it (not in detail but the main jist).

I work in a school and my first job there was admin my top tip is to make notes so write down examples of things they may ask..
Ie an example of when you dealt with a difficult situation/person - write down the situation and then what you did and then the outcome.
Write a list of your strengths
And any other questions that may be asked when you get to the interview say to them" I am a little nervous is it ok for me to bring my notes it" I have never known them say no!

There may be a priority task where you need to put a list of tasks in order you would do them...
Always but any safeguarding issues at the top so if the list was like the below one this is the order I'd do it in..

You see a child that seems intoxicated
There's a child crying in reception and no other staff member with them
Head teacher wants to know about intoxicated child
Head of behaviour wants to see you about a situation with a child from yesterday
Type up your notes from this mornings incidents
Do paperwork and return phone calls.

If you get a question you don't know it's ok to say I don't know but if that situation happened I would find someone who does know or could help.

Good luck 🤞

I interviewed someone for this role recently - I am school staffing governor.

Definitely look at the website; definitely look at safeguarding policy in particular, as well as all the other policies. Try and pick up the school ethos - they will like it if you have done that.

The sort of thing they might ask would be about confidentiality - it is important that they can be sure you will not be gossiping about things that happen at school and especially about individual children. And about handling angry or upset parents - it would be good to have some examples from previous employments if possible, but if you do not have this, to at least have thought through how you might deal with this situation - you could talk about line manager and chain of responsibility in these situations. You do not have to handle these things totally alone, and you need to be able to indicate that you would learn about where the responsibilities lay and your willingness to seek the help of the appropriate person.

Think about what your training needs might be: computer systems that the school use, safeguarding, health and safety.

Ask about your exact responsibilities - if it is a small school you might find yourself doing all sorts of stuff like checking the fire alarms, or the water for Legionnaires.

The really important things for the school will be:

• confidentiality
• safeguarding
• qualifications in databases etc, and your willingness to learn new stuff
• an awareness that you are the face of the school - you might be the first person people see when they come in - show an awareness of this and willingness to represent the school well - courteous, school ethos etc.

Lots of good luck - it is a demanding but very exciting role - you will be in the thick of a lively community.

Thank you so much everyone for your brilliant advice! I'm so nervous, especially if there's likely to be more than 2 interviewers but I'm going to prepare all my notes today! At least it's not a long time to worry about it I guess! I imagine anyone interviewing with previous school experience will get it over me but can't hurt to try!

Thank you!!

I have nothing to add as I'm not from this sector but good luck anyway; believe in yourself

Could I suggest that you turn your lack of school experience into a positive? What have you been doing? - I sort of presume from your name that you have been looking after children. Think about the skills that are involved in that and talk them up: patience, organisation, sensitivity, budgeting, multi-tasking, sense of humour etc. etc. Don't apologise for them - "it is a shame I don't have school experience." Instead you could say: "I am aware that I do not have direct school experience, but these are the things I have done in my life and these are the ways the skills can transfer - and I am eager to learn new things." etc.etc.

I’ve had a few of these interviews and the interview bit is quite straightforward asking about a time you had to xxxx something related to making decisions and prioritising work. Basically a chat about your experience and background.

And then a two part test. One a list of tasks and you have to prioritise them as pp say / there will be a safeguarding thing which you have to put at number one.

Second they give you some information which you have to type into a letter for parents.

All pretty straightforward, nothing to catch you out ime.

Thank you so much. I guess my most relevant experience to talking to people who are vulnerable or upset / angry etc is taking calls from people at the scene of an accident. I had to prioritise emergency services, recovery, accident details etc and even though not my most recent job I think I'll talk about that the most! My current job is an admin job for a factory, pretty standard admin stuff!

Sorry that should have specified road traffic accidents!

Are you in the north west? If so, I was invited to the interview too but declined (I wouldn't be able to get there for the start time).

I would remember to mention safeguarding. Familiarise yourself with their mission statement and relate how you have been able to apply similar skills to the job role in your previous employment.

@YoureAMeanOneMrGrinch did it begin with L? 😂

The school? It does! Do they tell you to go round the back of the hotel to get in?

I applied for attendance and admissions and got an interview for that but I know they had another office admin job advertised too - good luck!

@YoureAMeanOneMrGrinch yes they did!!! That's so funny! Ahh I've gone for the other one!! We could of worked together 🤣🤣 small world!!!

@YoureAMeanOneMrGrinch and thank you!!!

Data protection & safeguarding.
Awareness of confidentiality around looked after children, Pupil.premium etc. These were what my friend got in her feedback when she wasn't successful. Not indepth knowledge of, just awareness around. (That these things exist)

That's so funny! I've never heard of a school using a hotel for interviews! I work in a high school in the area and got a good deal on my hours so I can't really give it up - term time jobs are great though.

Just be friendly, don't be afraid to ask them to repeat the question and I hope it goes well. Let us know!

I work in a school office. My interview was a few years ago but included safeguarding, prioritising, a test on excel (as I do some of the finances), if I had used any databases and why I wanted the job.
I was interviewed at the same time as someone who knew the Head and had worked in school for years but still got the job, so don’t be put off by not having school experience.

I'm an HR person who recruits!

Read the job description and person specification and think of a specific example of a time you have demonstrated that skill or ability.

Pay particular attention to times you've had to deal with confidential information, prioritise work and deal with conflicting priorities, dealt with a difficult situation and when you've had to escalate something.

Thank you everyone!! Waiting for my Ds to go bed and then going to cram in some prep and potential answers! Will also read up on the school and policies! I'll report back

Was the email sent to you today or was it sent earlier and you missed it. Don't wish to be a voice of doom. But personally I feel that such short notice for an interview would be a definite red flag. I would also want to have an opportunity to view the school and if the interview is in a hotel, you won't get the chance to do that. There might be perfectly sensible business reasons for these decisions, but make sure you ask plenty of questions about the school and the job and trust your gut if it doesn't feel right...

@Titsflyingsouth I received it last night but I didn't get it until this morning!

I see what your saying though

@ivfbabymomma1

Thank you so much. I guess my most relevant experience to talking to people who are vulnerable or upset / angry etc is taking calls from people at the scene of an accident. I had to prioritise emergency services, recovery, accident details etc and even though not my most recent job I think I'll talk about that the most! My current job is an admin job for a factory, pretty standard admin stuff!

It sounds as though it should not be hard to find examples of a whole range of skills from your work history!!

Sometimes we take our skills for granted and play them down. This is the moment to value them and big them up!

@ivfbabymomma1 I hope I'm wrong. And I hope it goes well.