A job commercial for an assistant headteacher has attracted widespread criticism after it warned candidates they must work “ridiculously onerous”, be “wedded” to their job and that “we can’t carry anybody”.
The candidate for the position at Mercia college, a Sheffield secondary that has been described as “Britain’s strictest college”, is anticipated to oversee detentions on Saturdays and to attend conferences through the holidays. They need to even be “extremely proficient”, “ooze management” and be “an excellent orator”.
Earlier than making use of for the position, which attracts a wage of as much as £62,561, the advert urged candidates ought to ask themselves: “Are you comfortable with the crew contacting you within the night? Assembly in holidays and being ready to do detentions on a Saturday morning?
“Are you able to deal with big calls for all through the day, which embody educating a excessive load, managing pastoral points and being on alert from 7am by means of till 6pm, as soon as we’ve got walked the pupils safely down the highway and completed detentions?”
The job description continued: “Excessive vitality and sacrifice are required to excel on this place. We can’t carry anybody. We’d like a dedication from our assistant headteacher to remain till the job is finished.” The candidate needs to be somebody who handles authority effectively, is prepared to carry the road and “lead with bravery”, it mentioned.
“We would like somebody who rolls up their sleeves, a doer and a grafter. Not only a visionary, however somebody who additionally walks the onerous yards.” The job, the advert warned, “could dominate your life on events”.
The checklist of necessities was so excessive that some commentators thought it was a spoof. By Monday the advert had disappeared from the Tes web site, and the college didn’t reply to requests from the Guardian for clarification and for the variety of purposes acquired to this point.
The advert got here to prominence as academics ready for additional strike motion in England, Scotland and Wales in pursuit of a totally funded, above-inflation pay rise. Extreme workload is believed to be a key contributor to the disaster in trainer recruitment and retention.
In England, members of the Nationwide Training Union are on account of strike within the north, north-west, Yorkshire and Humber areas on 28 February, adopted by the Midlands and japanese areas on 1 March.
Utilizing the hashtags #weddedtothejob and #mercilessmercia, one teacher commented on Twitter: “Remind me why there’s a recruitment and retention disaster in educating once more??”
Another said: “This job advert from a Sheffield secondary is purpose #417 why I’ll by no means educate in England once more.” The advert additionally prompted conversations in colleges about senior management wellbeing.
Not everybody was essential. Many thought it was simply sincere. Chris Dyson, a former headteacher at a Leeds main college and now deputy chief government of a Birmingham academy belief, wrote: “This advert appears to be dominating #EduTwitter in the present day. My opinion – it doesn’t offend me … higher to see this pre making use of than be upset after.”
“It might be contentious in the best way it’s written but it surely’s sincere,” mentioned Phil Sharrock, who describes himself as “6 x a headteacher, guide and coach.”
Mercia college within the Millhouses space of Sheffield is oversubscribed and in style with mother and father, with its lengthy college days – all pupils keep in class till 5pm Monday to Thursday – its strict uniform code and nil tolerance method to cellphones.
The Division for Training was approached for remark.
Niamh Sweeney, the NEU deputy normal secretary, mentioned: “It’s unlikely that this method will entice many candidates.
“Folks in senior roles can definitely anticipate increased calls for of their time, however we are going to by no means get anyplace in coping with the workload disaster on this nation by embedding it additional in working tradition.”
