Help with a school receptionist job!

I have an interview for a school receptionist job coming up. This is a role that I haven’t worked in before so any help would be appreciated. What questions should I expect in the interview and there will also be a skills assessment. I have previously worked in Retail and currently in Optics. Thank you!
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  • shortcrust
    shortcrust Posts: 2,697
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    I’d expect something about confidentiality and safeguarding. You just need to show that you understand you’re a keeper of sensitive and confidential information which should only get shared with ‘authorised’ people. So you don’t tell your neighbour - or even people at school who don’t need to know - that little Jonny Smith has been off school again with scurvy, and you don’t give out info over the phone to anyone unless you know you’re allowed to. Keep in mind that a parent might not necessarily be someone you’re allowed to give info to.

    Not job specific, but make sure you have answers to questions like “Why do you want the job?”. People differ, but I like practical answers such as “The location and hours are convenient, I enjoy working in an office environment and you’ve a reputation as a good employer...”.
  • Robin9
    Robin9 Posts: 12,056
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    Research the school - explore their website - OFSTED reports (how could you help improve rating ?)- GDPR - is an Academy or a Federation , CofE
    Never pay on an estimated bill
  • shortcrust
    shortcrust Posts: 2,697
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    Robin9 wrote: »
    Research the school - explore their website - OFSTED reports (how could you help improve rating ?)- GDPR - is an Academy or a Federation , CofE

    Might just be me, but I’d find it really weird if someone brought up ways they could help improve the OFSTED rating in an interview for a receptionist position.
  • Marcon
    Marcon Posts: 10,322
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    Research the school on its website.

    Read the job description carefully and work out in advance how you meet each of the requirements or if you don't meet them, what actions you could take to ensure you will be able to meet them ('I'd very much like to learn more about...' is a perfectly valid answer and doesn't highlight that you might not know much, if anything, about a particular topic).

    Also think about why you want to work in a school environment, which is very different from your previous jobs. A gushing statement that you love kiddies isn't going to impress, whereas something alone the lines of helping to provide a welcoming environment for children, parents and visitors sounds as if you've given it some consideration.
    Googling on your question might have been both quicker and easier, if you're only after simple facts rather than opinions!  
  • DigForVictory
    DigForVictory Posts: 11,903
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    That you've cash handling experience may be a bonus depending on the size of school, some receptionists are expected to deal with all lunch money issues so the teachers can teach.

    Which means being able to take money & identify the source accurately at high speed. Which when you have two parents with four children of various ages counting out five pound notes for assorted school trips - is a challenge, but an essential skill.

    Frankly any bookkeeping & robust record keeping skills, (even if just being able to find last weeks till receipt for the groceries), are useful, and a paediatric first aid certification saves the school paying for it. (It can be done cheaply as a bolt on to first aid at work.)

    Being local & having rock solid childcare in all weathers will also aid your cause. They shouldn't ask, but if you can manage to assure them that you can be there even as they decide not enough other folk can & to close the school for a snow day, it will count towards you, as will being able to say I have local family who back up my childcare arrangements & share my enthusiasm for this school....

    Skills assessment? Depends on if the school has a computerised admin system it expects you to master on the first day. Even then these things are usually taught by "sitting with Ella" or whomever until you feel reasonably confident. If you manage to find the time, documenting the system will make figuring out why it's giving you that message simpler & reassure any tech sent out to eyeball the hardware.

    Best of luck!
  • I would expect as a minimum for you to be competent with Word, Access and Excel.
    Proof of competence with spelling and grammar would be very important too, as you will be the face of the school.
    Blackpool_Saver is female, and does not live in Blackpool

  • Undervalued
    Undervalued Posts: 8,839
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    Marcon wrote: »
    Research the school on its website.

    Read the job description carefully and work out in advance how you meet each of the requirements or if you don't meet them, what actions you could take to ensure you will be able to meet them ('I'd very much like to learn more about...' is a perfectly valid answer and doesn't highlight that you might not know much, if anything, about a particular topic).

    Also think about why you want to work in a school environment, which is very different from your previous jobs. A gushing statement that you love kiddies isn't going to impress, whereas something alone the lines of helping to provide a welcoming environment for children, parents and visitors sounds as if you've given it some consideration.

    Sadly you are probably not wrong but when I have been involved in interviewing I really hated these sort of trite phrases being trotted out!
  • I would expect as a minimum for you to be competent with Word, Access and Excel.
    Proof of competence with spelling and grammar would be very important too, as you will be the face of the school.

    You might be able to help teachers with their competence in this area.
  • Marcon
    Marcon Posts: 10,322
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    Sadly you are probably not wrong but when I have been involved in interviewing I really hated these sort of trite phrases being trotted out!

    The trouble is finding something better! Any thoughts on what you'd sooner have heard?
    Googling on your question might have been both quicker and easier, if you're only after simple facts rather than opinions!  
  • Undervalued
    Undervalued Posts: 8,839
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    Marcon wrote: »
    The trouble is finding something better! Any thoughts on what you'd sooner have heard?

    Anything that reflects the candidates true thoughts and feelings, rather than reciting meaningless phrases which they think I want to hear!
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