PROSPECTIVE teachers at a school in Purbrook are being grilled in job interviews by students.
Purbrook Park School carries out a unique interview process which gives the students a chance to have their say and to find out more about potential new members of staff.
The Year 11 children give the candidate a tour around the school and then carry out a formal interview.
They ask questions such as what would motivate them in the classroom, if they would get involved in extra-curricular activities or clubs, and how they would help struggling or less confident students.
Janice Norman, transition co-ordinator at the school, said: ‘It’s a day-long process depending on the calibre of the job.
‘As part of it we involve the children who show them around the school.
‘They can ask questions of the children that they might not want to ask staff.
‘It’s just so that the children can get involved in the interview process. It gives a totally different perspective.
‘Staff see people differently but children will have their own perspective on what they think will make a good teacher.’
Afterwards, the three students then report back to the headteacher Paul Foxley, telling him what they did or didn’t like about the candidate.
The candidates then go into a separate interview with the headteacher, head of department or head of faculty. The process is carried out for potential members of staff across all departments in the school.
Ms Norman added: ‘The students love it. They like having a voice. They love having a real input into the life of the school.
‘It’s a form of motivation to them but it’s also a new learning process on how to interview people and how it feels to be interviewed.
Student Annabel Coe added: ‘I enjoy taking part in the pupil panel for interviews because it gives the pupils a voice and it helps us take responsibility for our learning.’
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