Transcript Slide 1

Appointment of Headteachers
Relationship diagram – showing who is responsible for what and their relationship with others
LA Inspectors
Provide expert advice:
• on advertisement
LA Inspectors
School
Use national
regulations & LA
procedures to:-
Governing Body
provide advice on:
Responsible for:
‒requirements
 notifying LA
inspectors &
Diocesan advisers (in
church schools)
immediately on
receipt of letter of
resignation
Selection Panel
‒procedures
‒processes
support governors in
the identification of
the specific needs of
the school
obtains
advice
advise
Diocesan
Advisers
Use National
Society guidelines,
to provide advice &
support (as above)
but specifically in
relation to:-
•during shortlisting &
interview
•during decision
making
Responsible for:
selection process
elects
elected by
 electing
Selection Panel
(minuted
delegation)
 ratifying the
appointment
of a headteacher
 ensuring all
meetings are minuted
securing the best
appointment through
working in
partnership with
Inspectors
 advertisement &
application
process & pack
 placing
advertisement
advise &
support
 provide feedback
to candidates
Diocesan Advisers
Provide expert advice
(as above) to church
schools
obtain advice &
support
see notes1 & 2
Dorset CC Payroll
Dept
supply advert &
application pack
recommending
selected candidate to
governing body for
ratification
support
 Upload advert and
information pack (send
copy to Diocesan website
to publish advert free of
charge)
Provide link to on-line
application forms
HR
requirements for
headteacher
appointments
in church schools
Is available for legal advice if
needed
the school’s strengths
& development needs
as a church school
see note 3 & 4
Version 6 – December 2010
© SDBE
Notes for the Relationship Diagram
Note 1
There is a link between the LA Inspectors and the Diocesan Advisers in terms of information. If either of them learns of an impending appointment in
church schools they should inform the other.
Note 2
There is a charge made to schools for support and advice throughout the Headteacher appointment process. Please see separate document which
outlines the charging structure. To reduce the cost to church schools, a single charge is made to procure advisory support from both the LA and the
DBE. It is strongly recommended that governing bodies make full use of the support available from both the LA and DBE.
Note 3
The advisory role (LA and/or DBE) is to provide professional guidance to the selection panel. This includes the shortlisting process and planning the
interview day. During the interview day the inspectors (and Diocesan advisers in a church school) will guide the GB on professional abilities of
candidates, working in equal partnership. The GB carries the overall responsibility for making the selection and the appointment; this will include
dealing with any queries raised by applicants about the selection process and any challenges and candidate feedback from this.
Note 4
The key principles of which the governing body should be aware are that:
•their role is to seek to appoint the best possible candidate for the school
•they must address Equal Opportunity and Equality legislation issues e.g.the need for a fair selection process
the need to ensure that reasonable adjustments are in place if needed at interview and that dietary requirements are provided for
the need for considerations for a disability/health condition if required by the selected candidate once in post
•they must ensure Safer Recruitment in line with current legislation – NB additional Safer Recruitment advice will be supplied by adviser/inspectors.
N.B. the appointment of the selection panel must be agreed and minuted by the governing body (Regulations 15(3) and 27(3)) as does the
agreement of any changes to the Individual School Range (ISR).
All Governors must ensure strict confidentiality throughout the process – governors should be aware of the serious difficulties that could arise from
lapses in confidentiality
Timeline for Appointment of Headteachers
See note 1
Weeks 1-2
Date
Headteacher
Vacancy
Week 3
Date
Preliminary
Meeting
Week 4
Date/s
Selection
Panel
Week 6
Week 5
Date
Date/s
Date
Candidates
visit school
Advert
published
Week 7
Application
Week 9/10
Week 8
Date
Shortlisting
Date
Interview day
Closing date
[in writing]
Activities:
Activities:
Activities:
Activities:
Activities:
Activities:
Activities:
Activities:
Governing
Body:
Governing Body
supported by LA
inspectors and
DBE advisers
Selection Panel
Advertisement
appears:-
As arranged by the
Selection Panel in
week 4
On line
applications
ready to view
Panel supported
by advisers
Selection panel
supported by inspectors
& advisers
Informs LA and
DBE
Receives
introductory
information
Arranges
preliminary
meeting with
inspectors &
advisers
Prepares for
preliminary
meeting
Prepares to elect
Selection Panel
Agrees key dates
Identifies school
requirements
Agrees Person
Specification
Determines ISR
Finalises advert
see note 2
Finalises
application pack
Makes
arrangements for
showing
candidates around
the school
N.B. – try to
allow at least 2
weeks from
advertisement to
closing date.
Selection panel
& advisers
read
applications in
advance of
shortlisting and
begin to
scrutinise them
against person
specification,
N.B. – try to
allow at least 4
working days
before
shortlisting
meeting
Discusses
advertisement
Discusses
application pack
Elects Selection
Panel
Shortlist
Agree format of
interview and
references
Inform school of
arrangements
Chair of Panel
−invites candidates
to interview
Carries out selection
process as in chart 5
Whole governing body
Ratifies decision
LA inspectors and DBE
advisers offer feedback to
candidates
−Requests
references
N.B. allow at least 7
working days before
interview
Click for Process
Chart 5
Interview
Click for
Process Chart 1
Headteacher
Vacancy
Click for Process
Chart 2
Governors’
Preliminary
Meeting
Click for
Click for
Process Chart 4
Shortlisting
Process Chart 3
Selection Panel
Activities
Induction
year
Further
Development
Version 6 – December 2010
© SDBE
Notes for the timeline
Note 1
The timescale is approximate – the process may well take longer.
Note 2
In Week 4, it is important to stress that, should the governors place and advertisement with the TES, they need to receive a proof read and signed-off
copy by Monday 4pm in order for the advert to appear in a hard copy the following Friday. The online-only advert will need to be with TES a
minimum of 48 hours before the “go live” date.
Process Chart 1 – Headteacher Vacancy
Who is involved?
Governing body (GB) - supported by inspectors from Local Authority (LA) and advisers from Diocese (DBE) in Church schools
Inputs i.e. information needed
Headteacher vacancy
 Date of resignation and vacancy
 Reason for vacancy
 Letter of resignation accepted
Activities
Outputs i.e. outcomes
Governors:
Inform LA and DBE of headteacher vacancy
request introductory information see note 1
request contact details of LA inspectors &
DBE advisers –(for church schools)
see note 2
 LA and DBE informed
 LA/DBE introductory pack
requested see note 1
 Inspectors & advisers identified
Arrangements for the preliminary meeting
Governors and inspectors/advisers agree time,
date & venue of preliminary meeting – (for
information about attendees - see note 3)
Governors are informed of arrangements for
preliminary meeting
Preliminary meeting arranged
Governors are aware of
arrangements, purpose and format
of preliminary meeting
 Information about the school - see
note 4
Preparation for the preliminary meeting
Chair of Finance or Chair of Governors
prepares a statement about the school’s
financial position
All governors consider the context of the school
and its needs
Information for the preliminary
meeting is in hand
Governors have an understanding
of the context in which they are
appointing their new headteacher

 Information needed for election of
the selection panel –
see notes 5 & 6
Governors prepare for election of selection
panel
List of governors’ roles and status
Confirmation of the availability of
the selection panel for the whole
selection process
Names and contact details of
Inspectors and advisers
Information to help GB prepare for
the introductory meeting will be sent in
advance
Version 6 – December 2010
© SDBE

 [see Process Chart 2]

Notes for Process Chart 1
Note 1
Introductory information will be sent by HR Recruitment. Further support materials will be delivered by the inspectors/advisers at the preliminary
meeting.
Note 2
In Church of England schools the DBE adviser and LA inspector will work in equal partnership. In community schools the designated LA inspector will
take the lead in supporting the GB.
Note 3
Who is involved? Ideally the whole governing body attends at least the first part of the preliminary meeting. If only the selection panel are to be present
from the school, then they must have been elected in advance by the whole governing body and the decision minuted (minutes must be brought to this
meeting to confirm the activity has taken place in line with criteria). They should meet the criteria in note 5 below. N.B. The whole governing body is
responsible for decisions about the ISR. A change of headteacher is an opportunity to change the ISR to meet changing needs of the school. It is
recommended that the whole governing body considers essential aspects of the Person Specification. LA inspectors and DBE advisers (in Church
Schools) also attend in an advisory capacity.
Note 4
Information about the context of the school may include some or all of the following:•Current HT salary and range (ISR)
•Existing Headteacher Job Description
•Deputy/Assistant Headteacher pay
•Financial position of school
•The SIP annual report to the school
•The school’s Self Evaluation Form
•Staffing profile
•National Society Tool-kit (for Church schools)
•Latest Ofsted Report
•Latest SIAS Report (for Church schools)
Note 5
Constitution of Selection Panel
•Must include at least one governor who has completed the Safer Recruitment Training
•Must include at least one foundation governor in VC schools - In VA schools, foundation governors must be in majority
•All must be available to be present throughout the process – we recommend 5 members (no less than 3)
•LA and DBE strongly recommend that staff or teacher governors are not elected to the selection panel. The staff will be keenly interested in their next
headteacher and will have views on the leadership qualities they see as important. The panel should, therefore, ensure that staff views have been
expressed before the process starts. It is also likely that governors will want staff co-operation during the selection events if, for example, they plan
that candidates will meet them over lunch or lead collective worship. Their contribution will be very useful as a part of the whole, but it is unwise to
raise expectations about their influence over the process. So the panel should avoid direct involvement of staff in the appointments procedure. This
includes the serving headteacher. There are two clear rationales for this.
•Staff and teacher governors may be determined as having a pecuniary interest and as such should withdraw from any meeting in which the
Headteacher’s post is considered and may not vote on any of the issues raised. This means they could not be on the appointments panel.
•The governing body have a duty of care to all staff, including the current headteacher, and including them in the appointment of the
headteacher could put a member of staff in a difficult or vulnerable position.
•LA and DBE recommend that the clerk to the governors is present at all meetings to record decisions, copy paperwork etc. If this is not possible, the
selection panel will need to agree who will carry out these tasks.
Note 6
The full governing body must give a mandate to the properly elected selection panel for the appointment of the new headteacher subject to full
governing body ratification