Headteacher Recruitment and Selection Guidance

Resignation of the Current Headteacher

On receiving the resignation of the current headteacher in writing, the Chair of Governors must notify their LA Adviser/contact before the recruitment process begins:

It should be noted that Roman Catholic schools must also notify the Major Superior in writing. Faith schools should also inform the Diocese in accordance with agreed advisory rights.

Following the headteacher’s resignation, the Governing Body must consider the most appropriate way forward, within the context of succession planning described above and consider the range of options, including collaboration, federation, the appointment of an interim headteacher, or recruiting a new headteacher. The LA Adviser will be able to provide further guidance and information.

If there is to be a period of time between the present headteacher leaving and the new headteacher taking up their post, the Governing Body must appoint an acting headteacher. It is recommended that the Chair of Governors discusses options with the LA Adviser at the earliest opportunity.

Getting Started with Recruitment Meeting 1 - The initial meeting (Chair of Governors & LA Adviser/Recruitment Adviser)

An initial meeting should be held between the Chair of Governors, and the LA Adviser/Diocesan Adviser. If you are purchasing the Headteacher Recruitment Package from Resourcing Solutions you should also invite the Recruitment Adviser who will attend either this meeting or the Full Governing Body Meeting. The LA Adviser will provide technical advice and agree a date and agenda for a full Governing Body meeting. The Recruitment Adviser will advise on a timetable for the recruitment process. The Chair of Governors and LA Adviser will also consider the most appropriate approach in supporting governors to reflect upon the needs and priorities of the school, develop an understanding of the characteristics required of the new headteacher and undertake a Needs Analysis (see separate Fact Sheet).

Meeting 2 - Full Governing Body

To formally begin the process of selection, the full Governing Body must meet to: 1. Agree the timescales for the recruitment process, taking into account contractual notice periods (see below), and make arrangements for an acting headteacher if necessary. 2. Determine the pay range, known as the Headteachers Pay Range (HPR), in accordance with the three stage process described in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document. The School’s HR Advisory service can provide benchmarking data and the LA adviser will advise on the statutory requirements. 3. Consider whether the school will offer a relocation package in line with North Yorkshire County Council Relocation Expenses Policy and Procedure . The LA will be able to provide further advice and guidance. If the school decides to offer a relocation package, these costs are met by the school. 4. Clarify the roles and responsibilities of those involved in the recruitment process (see section 1.7). 5. Set up a selection panel of at least three members of the Governing Body (see section 1.8). Agree Terms of Reference and ensure at least one panel member has completed appropriate Safer Recruitment training (see section 1.10).

1 6. Ensure the full Governing Body is familiar with the information on Equalities outlined later in this section.

The LA adviser will attend key meetings. The diocesan adviser will also attend meetings of faith schools.

Resignation Dates When agreeing the timetable for the recruitment process it is important to consider the contractual notice periods by which candidates are bound. In the case of a current headteacher, notice required is 3 months (4 months in the summer term).

Resign by Notice Period Termination Date Start New Post (months) 31 January 3 30 April Summer Term 30 September 3 31 December Spring Term 30 April 4 31 August Autumn Term

Example Timetable – Meetings During the first Full Governing Body meeting, the Governing Body must outline the timescales for future meetings and agree in principle the expected content and outcomes of these. The table below provides an example of how this might work in practice; please note this is not prescriptive and will depend on considerations such as the availability of governors and the overall timescales of the recruitment process.

Meeting and Agreed Outcomes Week attendees Ongoing succession planning Inform LA / diocese of resignation of current headteacher Governing body Consider whether it is appropriate to look into an alternative model of 0 leadership/school organisation such as a federation/collaboration Chair of - confirm date and agenda for a meeting of the full Governing Body 0 Governors and - agree how Needs Analysis will be carried out Advisers Full Governing - agree timescales of recruitment process 1 Body / Advisers - agree timings, contents and expected outcomes of future meetings in partnership with LA / Diocese adviser - consider HPR and relocation package - agree selection panel membership - ensure one member of panel has undertaken Safer Recruitment training - ensure selection panel members can agree, and commit to, all required meetings - discussion with Resourcing Solutions Recruitment Adviser regarding advertising and professional recruitment support options Full Governing - carry out Needs Analysis and agree Key Competencies 2 body/ advisers Selection - agree content of job description, person specification, advert and information 2/3 panel / advisers for applicants / Resourcing Solutions if req’d Application information is prepared (week 3/4) Advert appears (week 5/6) Selection panel/ - finalise information for applicants and upload - make arrangement for receipt 5/6 advisers of completed application forms

2 - prepare for shortlisting process - plan assessment process Response to advert received (week 9/10) - Email information packs as required if not on internet - Arrange school visits if required - Collate all competed application forms centrally and remove equal opportunities information - Distribute application forms (with equal opportunities information removed) amongst selection panel - Panel members allocate scores individually prior to the shortlisting meeting Selection panel/ - moderate and agree candidate scores 9/10 advisers - shortlist up to 6 candidates for interview/assessment (anymore and the selection days become unmanageable) - Identify any suitable reserves - review assessment process and finalise Successful, reserve and unsuccessful candidates informed Pre-employment clearances (week 9/10/11/12) - send for references (allow 2 weeks) - chase references - receive references - undertake verbal follow-up references and identify and record any discrepancies or issues to be raised at interview Selection panel/ - carry out interviews and assessment 11/12 advisers - make decision & get ratification from Full Governing body - inform successful candidate (make it clear the offer is subject to any outstanding checks, references etc) - undertake relevant checks and confirm appointment - inform unsuccessful candidates Full Governing Notify LA and full Governing Body of final decision 11/12 Body

Roles and Responsibilities

Full Governing  Consider alternative models of leadership/school organisation Body  Inform named LA of resignation of current headteacher (See page 6)  Notify appropriate Diocese (faith schools only)  Determine the headteachers pay range (HPR) in accordance with the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document, seeking advice from HR  Set up a selection panel of at least three members of the Governing Body  Conduct a thorough Needs Analysis, or delegate this to the selection panel  Notify the authority in writing of the names of the applicants selected for interview  Meet at the end of the selection process to ratify the selection panel’s recommendation for the LA on who to appoint (community and voluntary controlled schools), or to appoint themselves (foundation, voluntary aided and trust schools) Selection  Take responsibility for all aspects of selection of the headteacher as delegated Panel (3 by the Governing Body Governors  Undertake Safer Recruitment training as required (at least one governor) minimum)  Following the Need Analysis, determine the job description, person specification, and advert  Agree the contents of the information pack for candidates and ensure these are made available online  Agree on the assessment process, taking into account Resourcing Solutions advice  Use Person Specification to shortlist appropriate candidates  Request robust and relevant references and ensure these are satisfactory

3  Assess candidates and recommend the candidate selected for appointment  Ensure relevant candidate documents are photocopied during the assessment process to meet all legislative requirements  Ensure necessary checks (DBS, NCTL Teachers Prohibited list, medical, right to work in the UK) have been carried out  Ensure LA is informed of successful candidate  Ensure all processes meet with Equalities guidance and legislation  Consider LA and Resourcing Solutions advice throughout the process, including written representations from the LA on shortlisted applicants that they do not feel are suitable for the post  Where it decides to recommend for appointment any person about whom representations have been made, notify the governing body and authority in writing of its reasons.  If no appointment is made the selection panel can recommend that the Governing Body reconsiders the situation and discusses the way forward, which could include re-advertising the vacancy. LA Adviser  Act as the LA’s representative throughout the entire recruitment process, attending Needs Analysis, shortlisting and selection/assessment days  Provide professional advice and guidance on both procedure and education issues  Advise on drawing up the job description and person specification and designing and placing the advertisement (with support from Resourcing Solutions), as required  View the shortlist (this is a statutory right) and make written representations within 7 days of receipt of the shortlist to the selection panel if a person shortlisted is considered unsuitable or would have a significantly detrimental effect on the performance, management or conduct of the school  Voice any reservations over the panel’s preferred candidate if the adviser believes he or she fails to meet legal requirements on qualifications or is barred from working with children and young people Resourcing  Provide Headteacher Recruitment support packages to aid governors in Solutions managing the recruitment process (including advertising, candidate management Recruitment and assessment event design/management) Adviser Employment  Provide guidance on the content and costs of advertisements and arrange for Support advertisements to be published Services  Ensure medical clearance is confirmed and DBS disclosures are processed  Issue the Statement of Particulars, except in foundation or voluntary aided schools where the Governors, as employers, appoint the candidate and issue the written contract details or in schools with devolved access to Resourcelink where contractual documents are produced by their own administrative staff Schools HR  Advise on setting the salary, including providing benchmark comparisons, and Advisory advising on setting the headteacher pay range (HPR) Service Diocesan  Advise throughout the recruitment process Adviser (faith  Further support is then made available to the successful candidate when they schools) commence in post Stakeholders  Not involved in the decision-making process  Parents should be kept informed of the timescales and given a brief outline of the procedure  Staff should be kept informed and efforts should be made to engage them in the process. For example, it may be appropriate to invite staff to suggest interview questions  Staff may be present for part of the assessment process, but please note that

4 care should be taken when incorporating staff comments and feedback into the process  Similarly, pupils may be present during the assessment process, for example by offering tours of the school or taking part in a panel interview. Please note that care should be taken when incorporating pupil comments and feedback into the process Current  The current headteacher should not influence the actual recruitment process, headteacher however they may have a role in the early stages of the process  This might include providing information for the Governing Body on the current position of the school, to inform the needs analysis, or offering tours to prospective candidates who visit the school prior to application  Governors will need to consider the appropriate level of involvement of the current headteacher, within the context of the school. The LA adviser will be able to provide further guidance  The existing headteacher should not be present at meetings “during the consideration and discussion of the appointment of a successor” – Education Regulations 2000

Composition of the Selection Panel

 The full Governing Body must agree on the composition of the selection panel  Must consist of a minimum of three named governors  It is good practice to ensure the panel is well balanced in terms of gender, experience, skills and role within the Governing Body as far as possible  Diocesan Advisers recommend that in Voluntary Aided (VA) and Voluntary Controlled (VC) schools at least one Foundation governor should be included on the panel  Ensure from the outset that the governors who will comprise the selection panel can commit, barring unforeseen circumstances, to all the meetings that they are required to attend throughout the process.

 The Panel cannot include the current headteacher  The panel must not include anyone with a vested personal or financial interest in the appointment, or anyone who is related to a candidate.  It is recommended that Staff Governors are not appointed to the selection panel and therefore have no formal input within the decision-making process

In deciding the size of the panel, consideration should be given to the possibility that a candidate may lodge a grievance against the panel, and in order to give a fair hearing there will need to be governors available who have not been involved in the recruitment process.

It is the duty of Foundation governors to ensure that the maintenance and development of the school’s religious ethos is built into the job description and person specification and tested at interview.

It is advisable to have a few reserves who are involved in the early stages of the procedure, ensuring they are fully up to speed and able to step in if required. However, the panel must not change between shortlisting and appointment, so a reserve cannot stand in at these later stages if a governor withdraws from the process. The full Governing Body may remain involved in the process during key points relating to the advertisement, person specification and job description or may delegate all of this to the selection panel.

There was a challenge from a candidate in a Birmingham school where the composition of the panel changed during the process. The selection decision was declared void, requiring the Governing Body to begin the process again.

5 Preparation Checklist Task Lead Date Completed Comments Contact the Local Authority / diocese adviser on receiving news of current headteacher’s resignation Consider different models of leadership/ school organisation Arrange and hold initial meeting (Chair, LA Adviser / Diocese Adviser/ recruitment adviser) Contacting the Resourcing Solutions to gain details of THE Headteacher Recruitment support package (01609 535585, [email protected]) Circulate guidance documentation to the full Governing Body. Arrange and hold full Governing Body meeting Determine Headteacher Pay Range (HPR) after gaining advice from the Schools HR Advisory Service (01609 798343, [email protected]) Agree any interim arrangements between resignation (ensure written resignation is received from current Headteacher) of current headteacher and appointment of new headteacher Agree selection panel members and ensure they have access to a full copy of the guidance, and can commit to the entire process, as the panel cannot be changed once started Ensure at least one governor is trained in safer recruitment (Safer Recruitment training package is available on the Learning Zone) Create timetable Key Documents:  Headteacher Recruitment Guidance  Guide to Administrative Tasks  Guide to Paperwork

The above are available for download from the headteacher recruitment section of the cyps.info website