Someone I vaguely know asked me what questions a prospective headteacher should expect to receive at interview. She’s thinking of applying for such a job.  I’ve only been involved in one headteacher interview, and I honestly don’t remember many questions we asked. I do remember that the successful candidate really impressed the students in the student panel by sitting with them rather than away from them and by not patronising them at all.

I know what I think the answers to almost every question should be though. Almost every answer should be about Teaching and Learning. If any Head or prospective Head talks about buildings, staffing, food, conditions, timetable, parents, curriculum, buzzwords, support, budget, constraints, 14-19, consultants or ANYTHING, without referring it back to the quality of Teaching and Learning – well then I think their priorities are wrong.

I’m at a conference in Belfast tomorrow called “Leading a Happy School”. I think it’s going to be a long day but I’m really looking forward to it.