Policy and Procedure
on
Exit Interviews for Schools

Produced by: Workforce Strategy

Implementation Date: Spring Term 2009

POLICY ON EXIT INTERVIEWS

INTRODUCTION
1. / The Governing Body is committed to establish, via exit interviews/questionnaires, the reasons or ‘influences’ employees leave the school and the region. This can then allow us to identify improvements that could be made to policies, procedures and practices.
2. / Whilst this policy is concerned with capturing data from those employees deciding to leave the Local Education Authority, headteachers (or representatives) are still encouraged to adopt this good practice for those transferring internally tohelp establish why employees may choose to leave their school. The documentation for internal transfers should be kept locally.
3. / In the event of the headteacher leaving, the Chair of Governors, unless delegated to a representative of the local authority, will undertake this process.
4. / This document sets out the School’s policy of Exit Interviews.
SCOPE
5. / This policy applies to all employees of the school.
AIMS OF THE POLICY
6. / It is important for any organisation to understand the reasons employees leave employment as the information provided during the exit interview can be helpful to:
  • Identify reasons for trends in turnover;
  • Identify areas needing change within the organisation;
  • Identify any training and development needs for employees, including management training needs;
  • Assess the effectiveness of recruitment and induction practices;
  • Identify factors that would encourage people to remain with theorganisation, such as changes to terms and conditions, working patterns or culture;
  • Evaluate the success of existing organisational policies, procedures and practices and determine where changes need to be made.

7. / The Governing Body wishes to retain high calibre employees therefore it is the school’s policy that all employees are requested, by their headteacher (or representative), to participate in an exit interview/complete a questionnaire.
8. / The Exit Interview Policy does not supersede the Grievance Policy, therefore if a grievance has influenced a decision to leave, the Grievance Policy and associated forms should be completed in addition to the exit interview questionnaire.
POLICY ANDPROCEDURE
9. / This Policy should be read in conjunction with the associated Procedure.
MONITORING
10. / A record of all exit interviews/questionnaires, for employees leaving the Local Education Authority, will be maintained by Schools Workforce Development and Re-organisation Team for monitoring purposes and information used to inform school policies, procedures and practices as appropriate.
11. / The Schools Workforce Development and Re-organisation Team will monitor the volume of completed exit interviews/questionnaires and may contact former employees recorded as not completing an exit interview questionnaire.
12. / Where a specific school’s exit interview questionnaire return rate is low, the Schools Workforce Development and Re-organisation Team will investigate possible causes and report back to the Head of Learning, Leisure and Achievement as appropriate.
13. / If anyone feels that they have suffered any detriment as a result of this policy they should inform the Chair of Governors as soon as possible.
EXIT INTERVIEWS PROCEDURE
PLEASE NOTE: Should a headteacher resign,the’PROCEDURE – Headteacher’ below would be performed by the Chair of Governors (and supported by the local authority), unless delegated to the local authority. For all other staff this would be conducted by the headteacher or representative, e.g. Senior Manager within the school.
PROCEDURE –Headteacher (or representative)
  1. Headteacher(or representative) receives employee resignation and acknowledges this by providing an exit interview questionnaire (appendix A), associated policy and procedure and the offer of an exit interview.

  1. If offer accepted, headteacher (or representative) attends interview (to take place as soon as possible at a mutually agreeable time during the notice period), provides additional comments on exit interview questionnaire, signs and agrees content.

  1. Headteacher (or representative) receives completed exit interview questionnaire from employee (whether interview attended or not).

  1. If the employee is still to resign the headteacher (or representative)should confirm with the employee their final working day and complete leaver documentation (accessed via the ICT secure gateway – for schools signed up to SLA with HCCSchools Business Support Team),before sending to Schools Business Support Team (Warehouse 6).

PROCEDURE – Employee
  1. Employee notifies headteacher (or representative) of their intention to resign.

  1. Employee completes the exit interview questionnaire and additional information section and then either:
  • Arranges/attends interview with headteacher (or representative);
  • Provides completed exit interview questionnaire form (without attending an interview) to headteacher (or representative).

  1. If attending an interview, the employee is given the opportunity to read any comments noted on the exit interview questionnaire by the interviewer, signs and agrees content and receives a copy of the form.

  1. If desired, the employee may then send a copy of their exit interview questionnaire to their trade union representative for information.

PROCEDURE – Schools Business Support Team (Warehouse 6)
  1. On receipt of exit interview questionnaire, record date received and input the main influence on leaving specified within page 1 of the questionnaire into ORACLE ‘end employment’ screen. The original Exit Interview questionnaire is then sent to the Schools Workforce Development and Re-organisation Team at Brunswick House.

PROCEDURE - Schools Workforce Development and Re-organisation Team (Brunswick House)
  1. Extracts qualitative data from exit interview questionnaires and produce reports relating to leaver influences and emerging trends which are incorporated into the relevant workforce profile reporting period.

  1. Periodically reviews the information obtained during the exit interview/questionnaires to inform school policies, procedures and practices as appropriate.

Hull City Council

Children & Young People’s Services

School Exit Interview Questionnaire for Teaching and Support Staff

The purpose of the exit interview questionnaire is to allow us to understand the reasons or ‘influences’ why people leave their positions within schools and the region, and in turn identify improvements that could be made to policies, procedures and practices.

You will be asked to complete this form by your headteacher (or representative), and at the same time be offered an opportunity to discuss your responses with your headteacher via an interview. If you wish to complete the exit questionnaire only this should still be sent to your headteacher (or representative) for processing.

Please consider each reason and place a  in the boxes provided if this was one which influenced your decision to leave. Following this please identify the main influence for your decision to leave, what would have influenced you to stay and whether any retention incentives were offered.

Please use the section over the page if you wish to provide any additional information on your reason(s) for leaving or provide details of any changes that you think could be made to our policies, procedures and practices.

These responses will form part of the discussion during your exit interview (should you choose to attend one).

Job / Career
Lack of job security/temporary contract /  (A) / Promotion/move to higher paid job /  (K)
Lack of promotion prospects /  (B) / Lack of training /  (L)
Job dissatisfaction /  (C) / Lack of career development opportunities /  M)
Workload too high/ stressful /  (D) / Taking up full/part time education/study /  (N)
Pay & Benefits / Workplace
Dissatisfied with salary /  (E) / Poor working conditions & facilities /  (O)
Dissatisfied with benefits /  (F) / Not enough support from manager /  (P)
Lack of flexibility/hours of work /  (G) / Poor working relationship with manager /  (Q)
Poor working relationship with colleagues /  (R)
Other
Personal harassment/discrimination /  (H) / Based on your responses please state the letter next to your main influence on leaving: _____
Family/personal reasons /  (I)
Other (please specify in space below) /  (J)
______

What would have influenced you to stay? ______

Were you offered any retention incentives or alternative working arrangements, such as reduced hours, to reconsider your decision? ______

Please use this space to provide any additional information on your reasons for leaving or suggestions on improvements that you think could be made, along with your intended destination upon leaving your position:
The Exit Interview Policy does not supersede the Grievance Policy, therefore if you have a grievance which has influenced your decision to leave, the Grievance Policy and associated forms should be completed in addition to this exit interview questionnaire.
Employee Name: / Signed:
Post Title: / Grade:
School: / Section:
Today’s Date: / Date of leaving:

Data Protection: By completing this form you agree to the information being recorded on a secure management information system and used to produce regular monitoring information to help improve our policies, procedures and practices and in turn retain high calibre employees.

Responses will be collated in summary format and will not identify individuals.

Please use this space to write down any information or points raised during the Exit Interview:
Manager/Immediate Supervisor Name:
Signed: / Date:

Please return this form in confidence to:

Schools Business Support Team, Warehouse 6, Princes Dock Street, HULL, HU1 2PQ

Office Use Only:
Rec. by SBST: / Input by: / Rec. by SWDRT: / Reviewed by: