Effective School Management

Application forms
Most educational institutions have a standard form and most of these forms
are well designed to bring out all the factual information needed, and also to
elicit data which may give us a clue to behaviour (the ‘judgemental’ elements
in the profile). A good application form will make it clear, in asking for
references, whether or not these will normally be taken up before interview.
In reading application forms, we should remember that the most relevant
data are often those that are missing. An unexplained break between periods
of employment, particularly in a teacher’s career, may mean imprisonment,

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EFFECTIVE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT
dismissal for misconduct or a clash of personalities which has led to
resignation from one job before getting the next. On the other hand, it may
mean illness, or having a family. Absences from work (a key question in an
application form) may mean a period of illness which has been cleared up or
an ongoing health problem (physical or psychological) or family problems
(ongoing or past) or undue willingness to take advantage of minor ailments.
Whether the circumstances are acceptable to us or not, the point is that we
want to know. A note should be made on the form to bring the matter up at
interview.
We should, of course, be comparing each form with the ‘essential’ and
‘desirable’ criteria in our profile, and assuming that ‘essential’ really does
mean that we will reject any applications which do not conform. We may also
reject some which do not meet enough of our ‘desirable’ criteria.
References
As we have said, the reference procedure should have been made clear in the
application form. In the teaching profession it is usual, subject to a request to
the contrary, to take up references for the shortlist before interview.
Although a reference – unlike a testimonial – is a confidential and legally
privileged document, many referees will hesitate to refer directly in writing
to shortcomings in the candidate. Therefore the questions are ‘What is
missing?’ ‘Do I have a positive statement about the characteristics which I see
as essential in this candidate?’ If not, a telephone call to the referee can be of
help. This will usually elicit a much franker view of the candidate and, in the
case of the chosen candidate for a key appointment, many would argue that a
telephone call to referees is a ‘must’ before making a final offer.