Gosh, OSH!

Interview time, today. It seems like I have had a long wait for this interview. Old Swinford Hospital is a lovely school. It is set in the centre of Stourbridge, within striking distance of Birmingham. The buildings date from the 16oos and are a mixture of beautiful old stone and more modern additions. The boys are well mannered and smart, and the staff are friendly and helpful.

I arrived on time, after only one missed turn. There were four of us for interview: me, a female PGCE student, an experienced teacher (female, Asian and from Wolverhampton) and a man who had been teaching at a boys Grammar school for the past 3 years (who claimed to be bored at his current school). All of them seemed very nice.

We had a tour of the school and the boarding houses. We had our documents checked and finally had to go and teach a lesson. I got the second half of the lesson that the teacher from Wolverhampton had started. I taught, but it wasn't a good lesson. I had pitched the content far too difficult for where the kids were at. They did their best, but frankly they struggled. I came away thinking it was satisfactory at best, and no way was it outstanding.

After that we had to do a task that involved planning a revision lesson. That wasn't particularly challenging, and I think I did a good job of it. Finally, towards the end of the afternoon I had my interview. I was the last. I think I did OK, but it probably came across that I wasn't happy with my current school.

Why do you want to work here? Erm, cos I hate my present job. Probably not a good answer. (No, I didn't really say that, but I guess they could tell, especially as my reference from my school apparently told them that I'd resigned. Great.)

So, do I think I got it? No, not in a million years. I'm guessing the lad that has been teaching in a similar school will get it. At least I got a free sandwich and I didn't have to teach 9e3 today. What more could I want?