To think that this can't be right

They won’t be making the job fixed term just for fun. Either it’s to work with a child who won’t be at the school for long, or they don’t know if they’ll be able to afford the post in the future.

This happens all the time in schools. There is zero recourse and there is no black mark. Especially in very underpaid and demanding TA roles. Perhaps that school may be hesitant in future, but I know so many schools that are desperate for staff that they have put up with stuff like this from same people over and over. Ignore your sister and posters on here who say otherwise.

I don't see how they can blacklist you from any school other than their own without breaking GDPR.

Whether someone would enforce it is a different question. I was replying to a post that said categorically that they cannot be enforced.

So employers and schools need to reform their recruitment practices.
That vulnerable pupil would be on them not me.

I've mulled it over and to be honest, it's fixed term so what do they expect. It's either really fixed term in which case they aren't offering me something sustainable or it's a fixed term but might lead on to something permanent. Well maybe try and get permanent staff in the first place and you might get better staff.

TAs are often funded by children's EHCPs, and schools don't necessarily have the luxury of recruiting permanent staff if the future funding is uncertain, for example if the child in question may move to a different school at any time or move out of the area.

And you'd enforce this for a low paid job?
Really you wouldn't. A high flying professional maybe, but a TA no, it would cost a fortune and benefit no one.

The problem however with schools, is that being hard faced about it likely means a poor outcome for a vulnerable pupil with additional needs.

You could accept the fixed term job and then give back word if you get another offer, and it is unlikely that the first school would do anything about it, but it’s true that it is frowned on in the educational world and they would be justifiably cross. If you accept the job they will tell the other candidates they were unsuccessful, and if you then withdraw they will be stuck in September with children needing extra support and no-one to support them. (The other candidates might have got something else by then, or not want to be second-best.)

My advice is to be honest. If they offer you the job, tell them you now have two interviews for permanent jobs and would like to see what happens there first. They will understand, but still might demand that you say yes or no immediately. Then I’m afraid you will just have to choose.

And yet you say its a nightmare to recruit, but you are effectively "blacklisting" someone because they presumably had a better offer. This must apply to lots of applicants.
Unfortunately it's difficult to be honest as an applicant, my preference would be to say I'm waiting to hear about other jobs and I'll need a few days. But companies now often phone at the last minute, expect an answer there and then. Other companies never let you know if you've not been unsuccessful, so you hang in waiting and not knowing. The only option is to accept the first job and then bail if you get a better offer.
Companies (and schools) just want everything their way. You just learn to be hard faced about it.

Not true. We make verbal contracts every day, they are fully enforceable.

This frequently happens at our school.

TA hourly pay is pretty poor. It used to suit mums working in schools but now you’re expected to be in by 8.30 and finished after 3.15, meaning you have to pay for breakfast and after school club for your own children.

There is more availability of working from home jobs to suit that group.

Good luck tomorrow OP.

You said there isn't a lot going in your area, bit then also said you live in a city with hundreds of schools?

Usually schools struggle to recruit TAs (I know mine does), so if you have the right skills, attributes and clear motivation for working with children, any school should snap you up.

Fixed term contracts are common as they are linked to the funding of a particular child.

Sorry I see what you mean. Once shortlisted we need to do a timetable and contact them with timings etc so know at this stage. Our School business manager knows their names as she manages the applications.

They had come to interview and been offered the job. We can’t offer a job due to safer recruitment until we have seen two references, including one from
current employer.

People withdraw from the actual interview all the time- no issue with that.

We had someone pull out a few years ago then apply again and we didn’t even short list as we knew them to be unreliable.

we dont know people's details, ie names, when shortlisting. in NHS. is teaching different?

I think your sister is being a bit overboard especially as you're a TA not a.teacher.

If they offer it to you then just accept it but make sure your start date is past when you would hear from the other roles. I presume it's not immediate start anyway AND if the jobs are in the same area the chances are the other candidates will also be in the same boat and have applied for all 3 - chances are also that you may outperform them there too.

Good luck!

School leader here. It’s a nightmare trying to recruit learning support/teaching assistants. We’ve put the pay up to the highest band but still struggle. It’s a nightmare when people accept and pull out when you’ve spent all that time getting references and interviewing at such a busy/tricky time of year. It’s likely that the second favourite (if there even is one) will have already found a job. It is also uncommon for permanent roles (especially if you are inexperienced) as funding is often attached to pupils with SEND who may move on. Pulling out means a vulnerable pupil with SEND may not get the right support. It’s always best to be honest.

In terms of ‘black listing’, due to safeguarding safer recruitment practices, references will have already been obtained prior to interview. This means your current school (if you have one) will find out and may share that with any future employers if contacted. I would say this is unlikely though! What is more likely is that that school or other schools in their Trust if it is an academy (and recruitment is centralised) will just not offer you a role in future. We had someone pull out a few years ago then apply again and we didn’t even short list as we knew them to be unreliable.

I would go to all the interviews as it might be harder for you to get a job as there are lot's of teachers going after ta jobs.

Ask if there is any chance it will be made permanent. Then at least they are aware are that is your goal. I'd just brazen it out and if you get the permanent one good on you.. It may be education but it is also business.

Yes they may have interviewed more than one candidate. But in the last 3 rounds of recruitment my school have done, there was only one decent candidate and they had to go back to square one all over again. Sadly, it's a hard job for little pay and not many are willing to put up with that these days.

I've worked in schools for many years.

We've often been told someone who has accepted a position has decided not to join us, and often the position is then offered to another candidate who they also liked, but was pipped at the post. I've never heard of a black mark against their name.

It's for a Teaching Assistant, not a teacher, two entirely different things, which will have completely different contracts.

I would accept the post if offered. There will be a period of background checks etc . If in the mean time you get one of the other positions you pull out of the temp post. If you don't you have a 6 month post to gain experience