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Is it possible to find a new Primary teaching job when you are UPS?

9 replies

Feelingworriednow · 02/08/2016 23:20

Looks like we will have redundancies at school. Not for sure but on the cards. We have a £350k over spend, too many expensive teachers and enforced change to an academy. One of my teacher friends made a comment that it is much harder to move schools once you are on the UPS which I am. Doesn't help we have a new head I haven't really bonded with who seems very keen on bringing in his old team.
I've been at this school for 9 years from an NQT so don't have any experience of the best way to market myself. Which are the best recruitment routes? Any advice really welcome!

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Minispringroll · 03/08/2016 14:25

I'd simply take a look at TES and your local council websites to find a new job. I didn't have any problems getting a new position and I'm on UPS. Switched to a different school last September (full time, permanent...including TLR) and then changed schools again at Easter (also full time, permanent, no TLR...simply didn't like the school I had initially moved to...current one is a better fit and I'm quite glad to have gotten rid of the extra responsibilities at this point in time).
Good luck.

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CandODad · 03/08/2016 19:37

I only just qualified but I know that in my last placement school was a teacher that had joined the school after having taught for thirteen years and then becoming a head. She wanted to return to the classroom and the school snapped her up. I was told they recruited her for the fact she had over a decade on experience, so you should be fine by the sounds of it.

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bangingmyheadoffabrickwall · 03/08/2016 22:36

I am not so sure.

In my LEA jobs are advertised within a specific salary band. Often MPS only, or MPS 1-3 or MPS 1-4. Never, ever have jobs been advertised as UPS unless they have middle leadership roles attached to them.
The LEA north of me does advertise MPS/UPS jobs. But for me, the travel would be the same as my current school in the LEA in which I live. So pointless as I am trying to cut down my commute.
I have 16 years experience and know that my HT values cheaper, younger and 'known' staff. I am one of 3 originals in my school out of 18 teachers. 10 teachers have been recruited my the current HT in the last 4 years - all known to various SLT members and one or two given jobs WITHOUT interview.

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CannotEvenDeal · 04/08/2016 08:48

What are your responsibilities at school?

It's hard to know how you should market yourself and justify why you are 'expensive' without knowing what you do I your current role.

(I'm an ex recruitment consultant who became a teacher 6 years ago)

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GraceGrape · 04/08/2016 08:51

I was desperate to leave a school (recently-converted academy) and ended up taking a job at the top of the main pay scale instead. Whereas UPS was designed to retain experienced teachers in the profession, it now seems to be thought of more as a TLR where you have to carry out additional responsibility.

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WantToRunAgain · 04/08/2016 08:53

Think it depends where you live - huge recruitment crisis in the SE so you'd have no problem finding a job IME.

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SuffolkNWhat · 04/08/2016 08:55

I've managed it (UPS2 when I moved schools) but the school did really want me and knew I wouldn't move for a pay cut!

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padkin · 04/08/2016 09:02

I think it depends on the school and the Head. Last school I moved to offered me my full UPS, but Head was 'old school' and felt it was the right thing to do, they needed a really experienced teacher and the job came with lots of small additional responsibilities (NQT mentor, students, developing role in KS1 etc) .
Current school only offered M6, but I took it as very much just a straight class teaching job, more convenient location, etc. Still pisses me off, as I've been UPS since 2001, and the whole point of it was to keep experienced teachers in the classroom, but it's now becoming a very big stick to beat teachers with, and an excuse to increase responsibility and workload.

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Feelingworriednow · 05/08/2016 22:55

Thanks for the responses. I am currently head of maths and have experience having students in the past plus taking the school through Mths Hub projects and have a high profile with parents with annual parents presentations. Never been on SMT, our old head kept that for her buddies! Oddly this head moved me to UPS2 off his own bat at the start of the year but since then we haven't really been that effective together. I'm not his cup of tea nor him mine, he has no lighter side at all!
I suspect I might have to go back down to M6 but would do that for a move to the right school .