Congratulations on highlighting again the effects of adult bullies on staff in schools. The accumulation of reports in your pages reinforces my long-held belief of the inadequacy of the procedures used for selecting senior staff in schools.
A comprehensive selection procedure which uses a personality questionnaire as one element and a leadership task as another, will give insights into the levels of confidence and aggression exhibited by candidates. The more traditional procedure of interview possibly augmented by a presentation will miss these and other vital clues in the search for the “ideal candidate”.
So, by improving selection methods, not only will governors and heads be more likely to choose the best person for the job, but they will also be minimising the possibility of selecting a bully who will undoubtedly have a devastating effect on relationships within the school. A worthwhile investment.
Jane Phillips Phillips Education Associates Lime Villa, Summer Grove Elstree, Herts
