Navigating recruitment processes for academy trust leaders

Step 4: The Assessment Day

If you are successful in the first-stage interview, you will be invited to an assessment day. This comprehensive evaluation includes various activities designed to test a broad range of your skills and competencies.

Interview and Presentation

During the assessment day, you may be required to participate in a more in-depth interview and deliver a presentation on a relevant topic. The interview will delve deeper into your experiences, leadership approach and alignment with the academy trust’s values and goals. It is likely that this interview will focus on ‘looking forward’ and will ask you how you intend to undertake the role in line with the strategy of the trust and key deliverables in the role (so you should revise what you have learned through the process so far).

Your presentation topic should be a key strategic topic. You should ensure that you answer the question, do not rely too heavily on the slide deck (if you are required to make one), and run within the allocated time. You will also need to prepare for follow-up questions from the panel.

Stakeholder Carousels

Stakeholder carousels involve meeting with stakeholders, such as board members, trust leaders, staff, and students. These sessions assess your ability to engage with various stakeholders, understand their perspectives, and build relationships.

These groups may interview you with set questions or ask you to deliver a presentation or engage in a discussion. How you hold the discussion is just as important as its content. Be sure to draw ideas from people to ensure that everyone is included and can contribute and that you are comfortable with both asking and answering questions.

Written Exercises

Written exercises are used to evaluate your analytical and written communication skills. You may be asked to complete tasks such as writing a report, analysing data, or developing an initial strategic brief. These exercises test your ability to think critically, structure your thoughts logically, and convey your ideas clearly in writing.

Practice similar exercises in advance to enhance your writing skills and ensure you can complete the tasks within the given time frame. Pay attention to detail and ensure your writing is concise, coherent, and aligned with the task’s objectives.