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In this resource, we explore 10 questions you might be asked on a SENCo interview and 10 detailed possible answers. This resource is 7 pages long. This is a complimentary resource to the set 1 and set 2 SENCo questions (these are with no answers) listed in my shop. It can be used in conjunction or on its own to help you prepare for interview. We answer, in detail, questions like… Why are you interested in the role of SENCo? What skills could you bring to our SENCO role? Give us a summary of your understanding of the Code of Practice: How would you use data to inform this role? How would you demonstrate value for money in this role? Please note: whilst the questions are detailed and thorough, they are NOT a definitive list, and the answers are not exhaustive. You may want to select parts of the answers which apply best to your knowledge. You should also add to your answers using experiences of your own and include your learning from these experiences that you would take into the new role. You should never use generic answers in an interview setting. Always link your answers with what you know about the school and their priorities.

This PDF provides detailed guidance on five of the most common questions asked in pastoral interviews, with structured answers to help you prepare effectively. Ideal for aspiring or current Heads of Year, these examples give you a framework for building your own responses - whether for interview practice or refining your approach in role. In this set, I cover: How do you deal with an angry parent? How do you support a student struggling to fit in? How do you lead a team? How do you deal with poor student behaviour? Do you monitor student progress? These are suggested answers to help you think through your approach. Always tailor your responses to the school you’re applying to, using specific examples of your experience, and if you’re already in post, ensure your actions align with your school’s policies. You can find Set 2 of this resource here: www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12527827 Follow on Facebook for more resources: facebook.com/teachcoach

SENCo SENDCo Prioritisation Task Interview Guide | SEND SEN Example & Tips This resource is designed to help you navigate the prioritisation tasks commonly used in SENCo interviews. It provides: A clear explanation of what a prioritisation task involves and why it is used by interviewers. The key skills interviewers are looking for, including decision-making, organisation, and professional judgment. Common pitfalls and how to avoid them. Top tips for approaching and answering prioritisation questions successfully. A practical example prioritisation task with a worked example. A blank chart for you to practice prioritising 12 sample tasks, helping you prepare confidently before your interview. This is an essential tool for any aspiring SENCo who wants to demonstrate their strategic thinking and decision-making skills. Follow for more guidance: facebook.com/teachcoach

Head of Year Pastoral Progress Data Analysis Task - In Tray Interview Practice - Year Group Set 1 This resource is my first set of practice data task for Heads of Year/Pastoral Leaders preparing for interview. The resource provides a fictionalised set of progress/attainment data from a fictionalised year group, space to analyse the data yourself and to come up with your three priorities. In addition, I provide the three priorities I would identify in timed conditions as well as the ‘answers’ I would provide in an interview circumstance. This resource handles whole year group data. This is the great way to practice your data analysis skills for interview from a pastoral perspective. This resource goes well with my other resources on raising attainment and analysing data as a pastoral leader. You can find a 2nd example of this in tray here: /teaching-resource/resource-12732369. This is another set of data to provide a 2nd chance to practice prior to interview. How to analyse data as Head of Year: /teaching-resource/how-to-analyse-data-pastoral-leader-interview-cpd-data-analysis-and-progress-achievement-12436735 How to raise attainment as Head of Year: /teaching-resource/how-to-raise-attainment-secure-progress-head-of-year-house-pastoral-role-interview-cpd-12425572 Please consider following me facebook.com/teachcoach

UPDATED! This assembly was designed after a series of fighting and physically violent incidents in my year group at the time. The message is very clear about the potential fatal consequences of fighting and one punch kills. At the time, I could not find an assembly which fitted these purposes. It includes: statements students might hear in relation to violence; as aggressors and bystanders information about why one punch kills are so dangerous a list of potential injuries from punches explanation of potential life long changes 3 news stories about fatal punches and a visual representation of the connection between people involved The final slides also include an interview with one of the offenders about the impact of his decision on the rest of his life. Very powerful, very moving. There is also a link to a police video on the dangers of one punch kills. Please check it is appropriate your year group before using - sensitive content. Please leave a review and like my page: www.facebook.com/teachcoach

This resource contains a 16 slide presentation for form tutors to use to introduce themselves and their expectations to their form during transition. This includes: a welcome slide a ‘meet your form’ starter where students find out information about someone else ‘who am I?’ form tutor introduction slide ‘what does a form tutor do?’ discussion and slide ‘form rules and expectations’ slides a ‘find someone who’ bingo get to know your form activity an all about me worksheet task a target task for students to set themselves 5 targets a 5 minute embedded video from BBC about having a positive mindset 3 blank slides for information from your school a form tutor checklist a final task for students to share adjectives about themselves This resource also includes a PDF of over 15 different ice breaker activities which form tutors can use to encourage their form to get to know each other. facebook.com/teachcoach

**Quick Guide | 16 Essential Head of Year Interview Questions | Bullet Point Answers ** This Head of Year Interview Quick Guide provides clear, bullet-point responses to 16 commonly asked questions – ideal for fast, focused preparation. Designed for candidates who want practical guidance without reading through full model answers, this resource breaks down key themes, strategies, and insights you can use to build your own responses. In this guide, you’ll find: 16 x typical Head of Year / Pastoral interview questions Bullet-point answers offering structure and direction Key themes to draw on from your experience Focus on behaviour, attendance, communication, and leadership This resource is perfect if: You’re short on time You want to personalise your answers with prompts You’re preparing quickly and need a refresh of core concepts You could pair this guide with my mid-tier toolkit or ultimate bundle interview resources or scenario/in-tray prep for a complete package! Mid tier toolkit: /teaching-resource/head-of-year-head-of-house-pastoral-role-interview-bundle-12348298 Ultimate bundle: /teaching-resource/resource-12472346 You can also find a more detailed version of this template in my shop, including more guidance, sentence starters, space for your own notes and a model answer too! /teaching-resource/-13301084

In this resource, I detail a guide to analysing data as a pastoral leader. This is perfect for practice for an interview setting as data analyse if often given as an in tray excerise or great as CPD/support for a new head of year/head of house etc. This resource is 4 detailed pages including: a list of key terms often used in data analysis and their definitions - perfect for those new to data a step by step guide to analysing data including what sub-groups to explore, what questions to ask of the data, what gaps to look for - especially from a pastoral perspective a list of suggested actions for an action plan from a pastoral perspective plenty of top tips on how to approach this task in an interview or in a new pastoral appointment Please make sure you follow me: facebook.com/teachcoach You can also subscribe to my mailing list: https://theteachingcoach5.wixsite.com/theteachingcoach/blank-page

UPDATED JULY 2025 This resource is a Head of Year application covering letter. It has been created using knowledge of the role and experience of previous pastoral applications. This includes sections on: attendance behaviour progress using experience of being a form tutor and teacher parent-carer partnerships high expectations and behaviour management student development/extra curricular/pastoral development working with a team of tutors reading data working with external agencies celebrating student achievement This template is over 4 pages long and packed full of ideas to use! Please consider following my page at: www.facebook.com/teachcoach

In this resource you will find guidance on a Senior Leadership prioritisation in tray task. This guidance goes through the purpose of an in tray like this, including why they’re used, how to ace them and things to avoid! This document also provides an example prioritisation task for you to practice prior to the interview. This is a great way to prepare for a very popular in tray task on an assistant principal/SLT interview. Please note: this resource DOES NOT include a worked example of the answers - this is because there is no correct answers for a priorisation task - you only need to make informed and educated decisions and justify your answers clearly.

This is an assembly focused on anti-bullying. It covers a variety of topics including: a link to a starter video from Pixar which begins to explore the treatment of those different to ourselves defines bullying exploration of words closely linked to the definition and those which are most powerful linked to bullying exploration of the different types of bullying and what they look like exploration how bullying makes people feel and the impact on others an activity used in the assembly to encourage students to recognise how bullying may feel provides the case study of Felix Alexander - who took his own life after being bullied, including a video interview with his mum Lucy - a very powerful video. facts about bullying how we can stop bullying Please make sure you follow me on: facebook.com/teachcoach

UPDATED FOR 2025 In this 4 page resource I detail guidance for completing a prioritisation task in a pastoral interview. This is example 1 on this topic. This includes answering the questions: What is a prioritisation task? Why do interviews use it? What questions might you be asked on prioritisation in your formal interview? What kind of answers could you give to prioritisation questions? This resources also provides an example of a prioritisation in tray task and a worked answer of the order of tasks as well as justifications. Great for preparing you for one of the in tray tasks at interview! NOTE: This in tray prioritisation is the most comprehensive of my resources on this topic for Heads of Year/Pastoral staff but you can also find additional examples of priorisation tasks in my shop that don’t cover the questions above - they’re simply another task to practice with worked answers! You can also find other in tray resources/bundles in my shop as well!

This resource consists of a 33 page booklet of form time activities - the booklet itself contains 34 different form time style activities. Perfect for use in form time! The booklet includes sections on: literacy numeracy an introduction to careers (perfect for KS3!) mindfulness activities general activities like dingbats and creating a form coat of arms The activities include: maths colouring activities; requiring students to complete basic numeracy equations to colour using a key wordsearches using career words, positive attributes of learners, confidence associated words and more logo quizzes a career quiz to get students thinking about the future a career mind map for planning ideas on jobs dingbats for challenge and encouraging creative thinking word wheels for development of literacy skills sudukos and basic maths for development of numeracy skills gratitude activities to encourage mindfulness and calm mindfulness colouring to help focus and calm students positive quotes for boosting motivation and encouraging student wellbeing Please follow me on: facebook.com/teachcoach

This resource is an example improvement planning document for Heads of Year and Pastoral Leaders. It is designed to identify specific strategies for improvement and suggested methods of improving tracking. This document is designed for a focus on three key areas: behaviour attendance attainment + homework This would compliment well with my other improvement planning document on my shop The Teaching Coach. If you like the resource please consider leaving a review or liking my page: www.facebook.com/teachcoach

IMPROVED FOR 2024 This resource is an example application letter for the position of SENCo in a secondary school. This letter should be developed by including your own examples of where you have completed the points referenced and the impact of that work as well as your learning from the work you have completed – using the spaces to help you do this. This letter is for guidance only and should not be used exclusively to apply for a SENCo role but instead used to support the writing of your own letter. Letters should always be tailored to the school you are applying to and your own experiences. This example includes more ideas than you may wish to include in your own letter and is intended to highlight a variety of content you could use. This template is over 5 pages long and full of ideas which you could use or remove. This resource is aimed a secondary school SENCo role, but could provide ideas for other stages of education also. Please note: covering letters should not exceed 2 pages in length. I never recommend sending blanket templates for prospective roles and always advise an application is tailored to you and the school.

This PDF includes 5 key questions asked on pastoral interview and their answers in detail. These are intended to support existing or new heads of year as well as being potential questions you may get asked on interview. In this set I answer: how would you maintain positive parent relationships? what would you do for high ability students? how important is the role of FT? how would you deal with a failing tutor? how would you target bullying? These answers are suggestions – they are not necessarily definitive. If preparing for interview, I always recommend you tailor your questions to the school you’re applying to and ensure you are giving specific examples of what you’re able to offer. If in post, always remember the policies of your school. You can find set 1 here: www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12348129 Please follow on facebook at: facebook.com/teachcoach

This resource is an example form time rota which includes the daily tasks tutors should be completing and a reminder of expectations for tutors in each form time. It should be used flexible and assembly can switched to a different day depending on your school. Please follow me at: facebook.com/teachcoach