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TES School administration - Forum

If you work in any aspect of school administration then you should join the TES School Administration group. You’ll find jobseeking advice, discussion on pay and conditions and chat about the latest issues in the world of school admin.

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School Administration Vacancies

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    I am having great difficulity in finding an adminstration role with a local school.

    My background is in housing - local authority , but I do have 10+ of administration experience .

    I have applied for several jobs within local schools , but I have been told that my application form did not meet the criteria ( what is this criteria....... ) school experience which I don't have .

    can anyone help.?

     

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    Ideally a school will be looking for someone with experience in their MIS (Capita SIMs is the most common one for secondary schools).  Good IT skills would be essential though.  What kind of role are you looking for?
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    I am afraid this is a common problem. Pretty much all finance and administrative jobs in schools require the postholder to be proficient in the use of the school's MIS systems. As the previous post said, this is often Capita's SIMS system. Schools are such busy environments that you have to "hit the ground running". Schools simply don't have the time to spend teaching somebody how to use the systems, often in small schools there isn't a handover anyway and you will lose out to another applicant who does have some knowledge or experience. I was lucky. I started 16 years ago with a retail administrative background but I got a job as a part-time Clerical Assistant. Having worked my way through the various systems I am now a School Business Manager. I have just taken on a Clerical Assistant with no previous school experience and she is learning the ropes and in time will have the knowledge and experience to go on and seek a more senior post if she wishes. It may be a case of having to go in at a lower administrative level if only to get access to the school's MIS before setting you sights higher. You can't get the job without the knowledge and you can't get the knowledge without the job! The alternative is volunteering but if, like most of us, you need to work to earn a living, this simply might not be practical.
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     Due to my lack of school experience   general adminstration to begin with ,but will be applying to the National College as an aspiring candidate for the School Business Managers Course .  I am will to also volunteer in a local school. Any ideas of how I can get my break ?
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    I had the same problem, having graduated with a Business Management Degree hoping to become a SBM i could not even get an interview for an administrator role, even though i had lots of admin experience and having been self employed for several years i have a vast knowledge of business, so i decided to ask at my own childrens school if i could volunteer in their office with the admin person to gain knowledge and experience within a school setting and using SIMS, luckily after only two months i got a job in a local primary school but only as assistant admin, however my SLT are very supportive and i recentley enrolled on the CSBM course which my school are funding, i would say go in and ask at your local schools because they are so busy some would be gratefull of the help and it gives you a learing platform.

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