How I got my first headship during lockdown

Any headship interview is tough – but interviewing in lockdown is even tougher. Newly appointed head Helen Plowman tells her success story

One Friday in March, I took a day off work to look around the school where an exciting headteacher job had opened up.

There was tension in the air because of news of an impending Covid-19 lockdown, but this exciting new prospect gave me something positive to focus on. Back then, it seemed hard to believe that things would change so dramatically.

Within days, schools were closed to most pupils, and I was relieved to have got my visit in just in time.

Ultimately, I went on to get the job, despite the challenges of lockdown. So, what was it like? This was my experience, step by step.

The application

Last year I completed a National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH). Soon after, I had an opportunity to act as headteacher in my current school. This experience and the qualification meant that when the spring term postings appeared, I knew the time was right.

As soon as I saw this particular job advertised, I started planning my application. It was the type of school that I wanted to work in - it had challenges, but lots of heart.

However, the month that I had to do my application soon became full of Covid-related school challenges and it wasn’t until the Easter holidays that I had time to settle down to it.

Getting interview ready

It was a month into lockdown when I received the invitation to interview, and I knew the process would be unusual. Not only that, I knew that if I were to get the job it would mean leaving my current school at a time when things were already difficult.

I also knew that becoming a headteacher for the first time during such an unprecedented situation would be an extraordinary challenge.

Even with all these things considered, I knew I would regret it if I passed on this chance. So much of the advice I read about getting a headteacher job was about finding the right school, and my research told me that this was it for me.

The interview

The interview took place online over two days. Prior to the interview itself, I was offered the opportunity to trial the technical setup.

Still fairly new to video calls then, the prospect of the technology failing worried me. But once I knew I could access the platform for the interview, I relaxed.

The virtual tasks

The first-day tasks were a thorough test. Interviewing from home did not mean that standards slipped. Five tasks were delivered by email at 9am and had to be returned by 3pm. They included outlining the School Improvement and Development Plan (SIDP) for the coming year and an action plan for my first 100 days in the post.

Because the interview was virtual, I missed the opportunity to do things I would have done in school - deliver an assembly, mix with children and staff. Because of this, I worried that my personality and energy would not come through for the panel. But I reminded myself that the written tasks provided an even playing field for all the interviewees.

The presentations

On the second day, we had to deliver a presentation and have a formal interview online. I spent time considering the background and lighting of my computer screen.

Due to feeling worried about the technology failing (despite my rehearsals), I logged into the virtual meeting room a little too early and sat with a fixed smile on my face waiting for the panellists to arrive.

The offer

While the process was different, waiting for the result was the same as with any other interview. I was pacing about until the call and then felt surprise and joy when I received the job offer.

This was my first headteacher interview, so I can’t compare it, but I certainly don’t feel cheated of an experience, or as if the process was made unnecessarily hard because of the circumstances. I was fortunate that the panel’s planning made it run smoothly.

There were definitely benefits to online interviewing. I had no worries about getting stuck in traffic or breaking down, for instance. And while I still made sure I looked smart, I wasn’t quite as outfit-obsessed as I would have been had the interview happened in person.

An online interview also meant I could avoid being intimidated by my competitors. I didn’t miss eyeing each other up as we would have done if we had been in school.

Now, I am trying to imagine what preparing for headship will be like as we continue in lockdown. Many things have changed, but one thing is the same: schools need good leadership - now more than ever.