School Admin Job Interview

[CatamaranViper]

Hi all,

I have an interview next week in an independent school for a school admin role and I was just looking for some advice.
There is an administration task which is scheduled for 30 minutes and I was hoping someone might give me an idea as to what to expect?

The role has a focus on finance and facilities as well as school admin so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Sometimes admin tasks are proofreading an email, I've had in tray tasks, writing a letter to parents about a specific issue, a safeguarding task but I think that one was unusual.

What sort of in tray task did you have?

I work in an admin role at the moment but the company I work for in very small and I was largely left to fend for myself in setting up processes etc.

I had a similar job a few years ago. The interview task was some typing and I had to answer a call and put it through to a particular extension.

So an in tray task may be something along the lines of

• an upset/ poorly child
• a parent asking for some info
• a colleague needs to ask you a question
• your personal mobile rings- it's your child/their school

So just saying what you'd do in each situation?

There should be a safeguarding question.

also look over basic excel formulas etc if finance involved

Such as?

What would you do if a child asked you if you could keep something secret?
Whst would you do if someone made an allegation about a member of staff. Etc etc.

Ah wonderful! I've read their safeguarding policy so that definitely helps.

It's more the admin task I'm worried about. I use excel every day in my current role so as long as it's nothing too complex on there I should be fine!

And remember - the answer to the age old question 'how do you cope with a stressful situation/ competing tasks in front of you? etc etc' is always ' I prioritise my tasks as a to-do list, in order of importance and ensure that I'm always able to react to anything that comes in that may be an emergency and therefore needs to go to the top of the list'

Dd works in school admin, her task was to write a letter to be sent to parents for a propsed school trip, really basic.

Wouldn't surprise me if it's a prioritisation exercise with a list of scenarios and you have to put them in order of how you'd deal with them, e.g. something from emailed a safeguarding concern down to can you book me onto a training course that's in 2 months, parent wants a call back about today's lunch etc

May be a proof reading one

And yes, there should be a safeguarding question during the interview may be something from what do you know about safeguarding to a child discloses something to you what do you do