School Closure Period
As part of the government response to COVID-19 to close all schools, Ark Walworth Academy is moving its recruitment process online!
What does this mean for recruitment?
So we are still able to find exceptional teaching, leadership, pastoral and operational staff who are aligned to our school’s values, we will be using Microsoft Teams to interview all candidates. Whilst this process might look a little different to the usual methods employed by schools, we are confident that by adapting to the current situation we will be able continue to recruit the best possible staff team for our young people.
To see more of the vacancies we are currently advertising, visit https://walworthacademy.org/vacancies
Before Applying
Whilst the interview stage of the recruitment process will be different, the application stage remains the same. If you are considering applying to one of our roles, you should read the job advert, job description and person specification carefully before deciding whether it is the right role for you. Normally, we would encourage visits to the school however, for obvious reasons, this will not be possible! Therefore, please visit our website using the helpful links found in our updated vacancy adverts and reach out and ask us any questions. You can contact the HR team directly via HR@walworthacademy.org.
The Application Form
Our application form remains unchanged and you should complete the form as normal – don’t forget to tailor your application to the school you are applying to!
Whilst time should be taken to ensure your application is of a high standard, early applications are encouraged as we will be shortlisting and interviewing candidates on a rolling basis.
Preparing for Interview
If you are invited to interview, you should prepare as you would for an in-person interview, but be prepared to talk in more depth about your teaching practice. For teaching roles, we will talk about the classes you currently teach, how you go about planning your lessons, and what we would see if we were to see you teach. We will talk to you about curriculum planning, and the position of your subject within the wider curriculum.
For non-teaching roles, we may ask you to complete a competency or situational based in-tray task before your interview and ask you to return this via email within a certain time-limit. We might then ask you to talk us through your answers or approach to the task.
For leadership roles, we may ask you to give a presentation which you would have prepared for and ask you follow up questions based on what you have presented to us.
Teaching Practice
We may ask you to teach either live to the panel online, or recorded and sent in. Prepare as you would for a normal lesson – feel free to send through notes if that helps, and we will set you up to do a structured reflection afterwards. We want to see how you plan a concept, explain an idea and give the pupils instructions.
This may feel a little strange, but it will give us a really good idea of what you’d be like interacting with our students, how you reflect on your practice and your approach to feedback.
Dealing with Technology
As explained above, the interview stage will take place on Microsoft Teams. Candidates will be sent a link to access this, so specialist software will not be needed! Candidates are advised to familiarise themselves with the software or ask us any questions in advance. Technology always has the potential to go wrong, especially now with most of the country moving toward working from home, so please bear with us if things do not go to plan!
Questions for us
Just as with in-person interviews, there will be plenty of opportunity for questions at the end of the interview, and we will spend lots of time talking and unpicking your answers. Please come prepared to share anything you’d like that we didn’t cover, or any questions you may have about the role or school. We really appreciate your adaptability in these unprecedented times.
Hopefully that gives you a good insight into our approach to recruitment during this school closure period – and please do reach out if you have any questions!
Safeguarding and DBS Checks
Whilst our interview process has been adapted in response to the school closure period, safeguarding remains the highest priority for all those involved in the recruitment process, and beyond. All successful applicants who are offered a role will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
.
By joining an ARK school, you will have fantastic opportunities to develop. We provide excellent bespoke training – from courses to network training days - available at every stage in your career. On top of this, you will work with other outstanding people across our network, helping to shape the futures of the children in our schools
