Question
Help! We're appointing a new head and aren't sure what we need to do.
Answer
The governing body should agree a job description, person specification and advert.
In particular the person specification should be agreed by the whole governing body to ensure that there is agreement about the type of person who will do the job well. It is good practice, when developing this profile, to seek and take account of the views of the whole school community – staff, pupils, parents etc.
The governing body must appoint an interview panel (minimum of three – and preferably an odd number to ensure a majority decision) and agree their terms of reference and format for any interviews. The Local Authority is entitled to attend leadership group appointment meetings in most cases.
If the Local Authority has doubts about a candidate they should express those views at the shortlist stage to the governing body in writing. The Local Authority is entitled to offer advice (but has no voting rights) and is there to help, but the decision on whom to appoint is the appointment panel / governing body's.
The panel should consider questions carefully - never ask a question to which you don't know the answer. If in doubt prepare model answers.
The School Staffing Regulations 2003 have a specific requirement of the individual school to ensure rigour at recruitment so that the process clearly identifies candidates with vision and leadership and management qualities which will move the school forward.
Download the Staffing guidance under sections 35(8) and 36(8) of the Education Act 2002 (Word - 224kb), which details the few circumstances where there can be good reason not to advertise nationally when there is a vacancy for a Headteacher.
This guidance was last updated in August 2009.
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