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Recruitment process step 5: appointing a candidate

Once the appointment panel has made a decision, ratified by the governing body, the next stage is to appoint your chosen candidate. You will make a verbal offer, provide feedback, carry out pre-employment checks – especially those for safeguarding children – and issue a formal contract. You will also need to consider what to do if you fail to appoint.

Making the offer

Candidates should not normally be asked to wait at the school for a decision. It is likely that the appointment panel will need time to discuss its findings and the governing body will also have to ratify the panel’s decision.

The chair of governors usually calls the chosen candidate to make a verbal offer. This constitutes a contract in law, subject to satisfactory checks. Once the verbal offer has been accepted, you will need to tell the unsuccessful candidates. You might ask the local authority adviser or external consultant to do this so that they can also offer feedback.

In the case of a community, voluntary controlled, community special or maintained nursery school, the actual appointment is made by the local authority. In the case of a foundation, voluntary aided or foundation special school, the school itself makes the appointment.

If the local authority informs the successful candidate, be sure to follow up with a congratulatory call from the chair of governors shortly afterwards.

Finally, agree with the successful applicant when you will inform staff and parents of the appointment.

Offering candidates feedback

It is good practice to offer both the successful and unsuccessful candidates feedback on the selection process.

Feedback should only be given verbally and on the basis of evidence gathered during the selection process against the criteria in the person specification. Be aware that this feedback could be used if a candidate appeals against your decision.

Making checks and sending a contract

You will need to check references, qualifications, health records and criminal records. You must comply with the guidance, Safeguarding children: safer recruitment and selection in education settings, to ensure that you reject or identify people who might abuse children, or who are otherwise unsuited to work with them.

Your local authority may recommend other checks you should make.

Next, the successful candidate needs a formal contract of employment, drawn up by the employer – either the school or local authority. You should get a contract to the successful candidate quickly so that they can resign from their current post.

If you can’t appoint

You may be unable to appoint a new headteacher because you didn’t attract a suitable field of applicants or because you interviewed and decided not to appoint. You will need to go back to the original applications and draw up another shortlist, or re-advertise.

Your local authority may have strategies for supporting schools that cannot fill posts immediately. If you think the post may be hard to fill or you have experienced problems recruiting in the past, talk to your local authority about the support they can offer. Do this before you need it, to reassure you so that you don’t make an inappropriate appointment out of desperation.

Meanwhile, obtain objective external advice to help you avoid repeating costly mistakes when re-advertising.

Other models of headship

You may wish to consider again whether an alternative model of headship is appropriate for your school. For instance, have you considered offering the role as a job share? Is there a neighbouring school with which to federate so that you can share a head?

These solutions will not be appropriate for all schools, but are becoming increasingly common. Co-headship and federations are further explained in the models of leadership information.

Things to consider

  • Be realistic about what you can expect from a headteacher, but don’t appoint if you haven’t seen the right person.
  • Inform the successful candidate first – if they say no, you may wish to offer the job to the next in line if that candidate also met your criteria.
  • A verbal acceptance is binding in law but difficult to enforce. Ensure that the contract is drawn up and issued swiftly so that the candidate can tender his or her resignation.
  • Unsuccessful candidates should be treated with respect. You may wish to offer feedback, but be aware that anything you say could be used in an appeal.
  • Take particular care to offer development feedback to unsuccessful internal candidates.
  • Successful candidates need feedback too – any development areas could form part of their professional development or performance management plan.
  • Co-ordinate communications to ensure you don’t embarrass your new headteacher by announcing the appointment before his or her current school has been told.

Checklist for appointment

At the end of the appointment stage, you will have:

  • made a verbal offer of appointment
  • informed unsuccessful candidates and offered feedback
  • given feedback to the successful candidate
  • made all the necessary pre-employment checks
  • sent a contract to the successful candidate

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