Recruitment resources for key roles
Get the resources you need to navigate each stage of the process for hiring staff at your school. You'll find model job descriptions as well as example interview questions for roles including head and deputy headteacher, central trust staff, classroom teacher and SENCO.
Create a bespoke interview pack
If you're interviewing for a role that's more tailored to your school, use our interactive tool to a create custom pack based on your specific job description and person specification.
Choose from our bank of questions and tasks, relevant to the role you're recruiting for and topics you'd like to cover. Then download your pack that includes everything you need to run a successful interview, including guidance on what to look for in a good answer and task materials.
KeyGPT can help generate job descriptions
Our AI-powered assistant can generate more job descriptions – simply adapt the prompts in our job description wizard to suit your needs.
Or, download our model job descriptions
You'll also find role comparisons, and examples of interview questions and tasks to download and adapt to your needs.
Headteacher or deputy head
Use these resources to help you write or review your job descriptions for your school leaders.
Your governing board/board of trustees will lead on the process for recruiting a new headteacher, but will need your support to do this well.
You can also use our articles to:
- Compare the roles of deputy vs assistant headteacher
- Get pupils involved with interviews, with suggested headteacher interview questions for your school council
Headteacher: model job description
Use our model job description to help you recruit your next headteacher – it's based on the Headteachers' Standards 2020.
Deputy headteacher: model job description
Download and adapt our model job description to help you find the right candidate for your deputy headteacher role. Our model is based on the Headteachers' Standards 2020.
Assistant headteacher: model job description
Use our model job description to find the best candidates for your assistant headteacher role. It's based on the STPCD, the Teachers' Standards and the Headteachers' Standards.
SBM and school office staff
Download and adapt our model job descriptions for your school business manager (SBM), and other members of your administrative team.
School business manager (SBM): model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a school business manager (SBM) and adapt it to suit your school's context.
Administrative assistant/officer: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for an admin assistant and adapt it to meet your school's needs.
School office manager: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a school office manager, and adapt it to meet your school's needs.
School finance manager: job description
See example job descriptions for a finance manager in a primary and a secondary school.
Central trust staff
Take a look at our model job descriptions for key roles in your trust's leadership, and adapt them to suit your needs.
Plus, read about the differences between an accounting officer and chief financial officer (CFO).
Chief executive officer (CEO): model job description
Download and adapt our model job description for a multi-academy trust CEO.
Chief operating officer (COO): model job description
Download and adapt our model job description for a multi-academy trust (MAT) chief operating officer (COO).
Chief financial officer (CFO): model job description
Download and adapt our model job description for a multi-academy trust (MAT) chief financial officer (CFO).
Accounting officer vs chief financial officer (CFO): role comparison
Your trust must appoint an accounting officer and a chief financial officer. Learn who can fulfil these roles, how they’re different and what their main responsibilities are.
Designated safeguarding lead (DSL)
Get to grips with the role of the DSL, and adapt our recruitment resources to suit your context.
Our resources can help you whether you're appointing a DSL or deputy DSL.
Role of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL)
Understand the DSL's responsibilities, what training they need and what to consider when determining how much time your DSL needs for their role.
Designated safeguarding lead (DSL): model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a DSL and adapt it to meet your school's needs.
SENCO
Check that candidates for the role of SENCO in your school have the required qualifications.
You can download and adapt our list of interview questions – it includes a template record sheet to record candidates' responses and score evidence.
SENCO: requirements and qualifications
Be clear which types of schools are required to appoint a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), and what qualifications they'll need for the post.
SENCO: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) and adapt it to suit your school's context.
SENCO: interview questions and tasks
Download and adapt our interview questions to help recruit your next SENCO, with pointers on what to look for in candidates' answers. Find example interview tasks that will help you assess a candidate's skills and ability to fulfil the duties of the role.
SENCO: interview tasks
Use our suggested interview tasks for special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) candidates to help you choose the right person for this important role in your school. The tasks are based on the SENCO responsibilities listed in the SEND Code of Practice, and also include what to look for in a good candidate.
Middle leaders
Whether you're looking for a phase, subject or department lead, take a look at our model job descriptions to help you find the most suitable candidate for your role.
Subject leader: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification to help you find the most suitable candidate for the role of subject leader. You'll find a version for primary and secondary phases that you can adapt to suit your school's context.
Key stage leader: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a key stage 1 or key stage 2 phase leader who is also a classroom teacher.
Curriculum leader (primary): model job description
Adapt and use our model job description and person specification to help you find the most suitable candidate for a curriculum leader.
EYFS leader: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification to help you find the most suitable candidate for the role of Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) leader.
Leading practitioner: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a leading practitioner and adapt it to meet your school's needs.
Sustainability lead: model job description
Recruiting for this DfE-mandated role? Download our model role description and person specification to help you set out the duties and responsibilities of a sustainability lead.
Classroom teacher
Download and adapt our model job description for a primary classroom teacher, as well as a teacher with a teaching and learning responsibility (TLR) and a teacher on the UPR.
You'll also find examples of interview questions and tasks, plus advice on how to organise a lesson observation task to help you assess candidates' classroom skills.
Classroom teacher (primary): model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a primary school teacher and adapt it to reflect your school's context.
Teacher with a TLR: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a teacher with a teaching and learning responsibility (TLR). It includes guidance for adapting your job description for TLR1 and TLR2 payments.
Teacher on the UPR: job description
Read advice on writing your own UPR job description, or download and adapt our model job description and person specification.
Teacher: interview questions and tasks
Download and adapt our example interview questions and tasks for a classroom teacher. You'll find both general questions and tailored questions for primary and secondary schools, as well as tasks that test lesson planning and classroom skills.
Teacher: interview lesson observation form
Find out how to organise the task with minimal disruption to pupils' learning, and use our template observation form to assess candidates' skills in the classroom.
Teaching assistant
These resources cover teaching assistants (TAs) and higher level teaching assistants (HLTAs), also learning support assistants (LSAs).
If you're hiring a TA who'll work specifically with pupils with SEN, use our job description to help you.
Teaching assistant or HLTA: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a teaching assistant (TA) or higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) and adapt it to reflect your school's context.
SEN teaching assistant: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for an SEN teaching assistant (TA) and adapt it to meet your school's needs.
Learning support assistant (LSA): model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a learning support assistant (LSA) delivering 1-to-1 support and adapt it to meet your school's needs.
Other support staff
Download and adapt our model job descriptions to help you recruit for key support staff roles around your school.
Plus, take a look at our interview questions to recruit a catering manager and a cleaner.
Caretaker/site manager: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification to help you to find the most suitable candidate.
Catering manager: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification to help you find the most suitable candidate for the catering manager role. Adapt it to meet your school's or trust's context.
Careers leader: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification and adapt it to meet your school's needs.
Senior mental health lead: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a senior mental health lead. Adapt it to meet your school's needs and use it to help you recruit or appoint the right person for the role.
Breakfast/after-school club manager: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a breakfast or after-school club manager.
Midday supervisor: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a lunchtime supervisor and adapt it to suit your school's context.
Family support worker: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification for a parent and family support worker, and adapt it to meet your school's needs.
Examinations officer: model job description
Download our model job description and person specification to help you to find the most suitable candidates for an examinations officer role.
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