I may not be the best person to offer advice about fashion choices for interviews: I was recently ridiculed for wearing odd socks in a senior leadership team meeting. I tried to throw in the line that it was a specific fashion choice and “you can’t limit my sartorial creativity”, but I think the other staff realised it was because I couldn’t be bothered to match my footwear when I got up at 6am.

In truth, the role of attire adviser for job candidates would be tough for even the most knowledgeable of fashionistas. The school dress code can be a quagmire even for those already working in the school. 

I am prepared to step up (wearing my best Louboutins) to the task, however, and offer you the benefit of my experience. So allow me to guide you through the plethora of school wardrobe options - and hopefully help you to dress for success. I shouldn’t need to point out that items to be automatically excluded from your “what to wear” list include bikinis, Speedos and replica Darth Vader costumes. Now that’s out of the way, let us begin.

It’s important to take your lead from the school. If you know what it’s like and have been to look around, that makes things easier. If you don’t know the school, you’ll need to scour its website and social media accounts for some visual clues. These should give you a sense of what staff there might be likely to wear - the dress code could range from smart casual, to smart, to very smart, so it’s important to check. 

You should always approach an interview with a heightened level of formality, however, so even if all the men at the school usually wear a shirt but no tie and jacket, you should probably still sport a jacket at interview. And even if all the female staff wear jeans, you should opt for smart trousers or a skirt. 

You’re aiming to suggest a level of seriousness and professionalism, so flip-flops, even on a very hot day, would be inadvisable. That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t show your personality through your sense of style - you definitely should - but be prepared for the possibility that your fuchsia dress with acid-green heels could end up being what the panel remembers about you, rather than anything you actually said or did. 

So, make sure that the statements that you care about are the ones coming out of your mouth, not your clothing. Toning down what you would normally wear is not a betrayal of your true self; rather it simply lets your teaching do the talking and that, ultimately, is the important thing at interview. 

What if you’re a PE teacher? Should you go wearing full sports garb? Unless the school says otherwise, you should wear professional attire. You can always change when you have to teach your observed lesson - it will show that you’re taking it seriously but that you are adaptable. But remember to bring appropriate sports gear - your short-shorts might look good for a park run but they are almost guaranteed to horrify the panel. 

It’s also important to wear something you feel comfortable in. Body language is important (see page 25) so if you feel uncomfortable, you will look it. 

One last thing: never, ever, wear a novelty tie to an interview. They scream “I’m going to be all wacky at 7.30am in deepest, darkest November when the rest of the staff just want a coffee and a bit of peace” and no one - and I mean no one - is going to employ that person.

Benjamin Davey is assistant headteacher at the Bridge Learning Campus, Bristol