So the interview went well but I wasn’t offered the position. I was pretty glad of this.
Really friendly staff, free coffee, biscuits and lunch (pie was great!), well-resourced department and there was nothing I could not answer in the two interviews with the head of department, deputies and headteacher. Lovely looking place, great location. I was feeling pretty comfortable with the idea of working at the school, that is until I was given a tour of the actual art department.
The photography work was poor, the A Level work was poor and the lower school stuff seemed very prescriptive. I asked the head of department whether the appointee would have the freedom to teach what they wanted, whilst ensuring they covered necessary skills and the answer was not very positive – it seemed I would be expected to follow exactly what she wanted me to teach. Fuck that, particularly when the kids were being so let down through this woman’s teaching.
The four other candidates were from a mix of state and private schools, some heads of department, some not (the position was regular pleb); at the end of the day we looked through each others’ portfolios and shared our disbelief at the poor standard of work in the department and prescriptive nature of it all. Will be very interesting to see who they appointed, given that two of the others were as horrified as I was about the place.
Anyway. Good to have another bout of interview experience; feedback was that I interviewed well. Had one of the best pizzas of my life in Clifton with M and spent a few hours catching up which was ace! I stayed at a lovely boutique B&B that had a faaaabulous bathroom (free-standing bath and big rose-headed shower) and a massive spread for breakfast – I got to start the day with scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and sour dough toast woohoo. Shame I had to leave so fucking early grrr.
I found out that I didn’t fail The Essay – no-one did – coming out with a merit woop. Pleased with the result. The course is now onto the practical side of things – no more essays this year yayyyyy. I’m really enjoying things now – the sewing machine is getting a lot of use. I had to write my first ever artist statement which was an interesting challenge – we were limited to under one-hundred words, which, when you’re not entirely sure what the hell you’re doing anyway, was quite tricky to word.
What’s really great is how supportive everyone is – I think I have actually made some new friends hurrah – I know this sounds like i’m a five-year-old, but it’s hard to meet people you get on with outside of your youth, so it’s nice when it happens.
Lots of short sentences here. What can I say. It’s Sunday and I should be asleep.
