If offered a TA job today, do I have to start Monday?

[sydenhamhiller]

I would be so grateful for some advice!
I am returning to work after 4 years, and before that I was a childminder for 4 years (trained as a teacher many moons ago).
I went for an interview for a TA job in y2 on Wednesday, it would be for Mondays and Tuesdays, to replace a member of staff who suddenly became ill, and they are keen to recruit/ start a replacement as quickly as possible.

It went well, there are a couple more people being interviewed/ morning in class, and the HT said they would call this afternoon.

My 3rd child does not start Reception until Tuesday next week, and it's just a 1/2 day. (I have mentioned this to them). I don't have any family near, and it would be quite tricky to sort out some childcare at such short notice.

If - a long shot! - I am offered the job, can I say I would be ready to start in a week? Or is that too cheeky? Just if they call at 4 pm this afternoon, it does seem short notice to start Monday. (Am preparing to be flamed and told I am being precious!)

Thank you.

[insan1tyscartching]

No you won't be starting immediately. The school will notify the LA, there will be DBS checks to run, contracts to be drawn up and salary to sort. Ds oversees this sort of thing in our LA. Dd got a position within the LA and even with no DBS and ds pulling strings and asking favoursit was more than three weeks between offer and start date.With the DBS and no strings you are probably looking at after October half term.

[insan1tyscartching]

If the school are desperate they will probably have to use agency staff to cover in the meantime.

[sydenhamhiller]

Forgot to say - independent, so not sure if they have to notify local authority.

[insan1tyscartching]

I would hope they'd still insist on a DBS (in fact I can't imagine that any school wouldn't) which can take a month and sometimes more. Ds's department also services independent and academy schools too (if they have bought into the service) so you might still be dependent on LA or another service's timescales. You most definitely won't need to worry about childcare until your LO is in school anyway.