To have pretty much automated 90% of my job and pretend I'm very busy?

Sand bag it - what fresh hell is this?

I think you could spend the working from
Home days developing an online course explaining how you do what you do and researching how to market it to schools. Or developing a consultant business and using lunch breaks etc to do remote consulting

You're doing a brilliant job and they are lucky to have you and your seriously impressive skills. That's what you're being paid for, please don't have any qualms about it. I'd say you're priceless. Kudos.

I think it depends on what's stated in your contract. Are you expected to work a certain number of hours? If yes, I would confess.

Lucky you,,don’t knock it !

Such levels self-promotion and smugness are wasted in the education sector...

Do you have regional meetings with other people in the same/similar job as you? It would be good to set one up and be able to share your knowledge. I would consider consulting other Independent School. Now more than ever they want to make efficiencies.

I think you've brought your money's worth to your employer.

You've not been shy about the fact that you need more tasks. I don't think you need to shoot yourself in the foot.

I'd be thinking big picture / long term - things that will be helpful for your career. This job won't last forever. What is going to look good on your CV?

Can you take on a big project, such as something that does require getting access to HR?

A relevant online qualification? I thought that was a good idea.

I haven’t RTFT (yet), but for the love of god, don’t confess.

You are now in a position to take a J2 (and maybe a J3). Welcome to the world of OE.

https://www.reddit.com/r/overemployed/s/DM2BFh1bpW

Is being super efficient and asking for stuff to do 'dossing'?

Do you have anything to do with timetabling? This is a useful ability for Data Managers that can be the basis of consultancy work in future. If you don't already produce the timetable you could ask to get more involved with it. What is your NOR? Could you look at changing your MIS for a cheaper more efficient one? To be honest you shouldn't need all the power BI stuff with a good online MIS, as it would have dashboards/reporting built in.

I know the job is convenient for you distance-wise but I'd be using the spare time to update my CV and apply for new jobs, citing this efficiency you have put in as evidence.

Kudos for your efficiency, OP! Enjoy it while it lasts - you never know what could change - and just try to use the extra time as productively as possible, whether that's being a more effective parent, taking a qualification etc.

If you can stand to have so much time with nothing to do, then carry on. Do some training/study for a qualification to use some of the time usefully (and it'll look better to your employer when the truth eventually comes out).
I couldn't do that though, I can't stand even ten minutes without anything to do at work, I go around asking people if they need help and if all else fails I start cleaning don't have a desk job though so can't just browse the internet for entertainment.

Very interesting op.
I agree with Kipper, certain jobs pay for your skills, expertise and knowledge. I taught my previous boss a very simple thing, to import into xero, which saved him hours.

Why would you feel bad though?

Pay is not just for "hours worked", if it was we would all be paid the same per hour, and arguably those in supermarkets/warehouses/building sites would earn more than those in office jobs. They are paying for her knowledge, her skills, her ability to keep things running smoothly. She is being paid to make sure that if there is an issue, she can sort it and it sounds like she does. That is her job, she is doing it and they are paying her for it.

Either they dont know in which case, why rock the boat, gift horse and all that. Spend the time make more money other ways. Or they do know but are scared that with you gone, no one in the building will be able to pick it up and everything will go to hell until they find someone else to take over which will take months, and they see that as worth the money they pay you to not have to sort out. You may have everything documented but that doesnt mean anything if no one else has even a vague understanding of what any of it means. If your description of some of the people you have tried to help is accurate, then I doubt any of them would have a clue.

I would definitely put together a proposal for SLT about HR though, especially if you can prove that it will save them a significant amount of money (I bet their stationery bill is eye watering!).

If I were you I'd use a good chunk of my time on professional development.

This is really a thing... I can't do power BI (might learn!) but I'm decent on Excel and have had jobs where honestly making a few spreadsheets saved days and days of work that others were doing manually.

So I'd not rush to confess just now but instead use the time to build even more skills and think about how you could advance your career - perhaps consulting as you say.

They may also just like keeping you on as you are there to maintain the systems and keep things running smoothly and way more efficiently than it sounds like they were running previously.

Study for a qualification?

Definitely don’t tell them. You’re doing the job you’ve been employed to do and it sounds like you’re doing it to a very high standard. You’re fulfilling your responsibilities- enjoy the easy ride!

100% request to work from home for as much of the week as you can get away with.

I’d do exactly that. They are paying you to do a job which you’re doing very efficiently so no skin off their nose. Make as much money as you can while you can, it can go a long way when you retire early.

Dont confess just yet. But what you did for this place, package it and sell it to others as a consultant. There will be others. Whats tour yearly salary? Charge that for the package sell it to 20 places including training for someone to do it. Confess once youve got your packages together for testimonials. Then enjoy :)

Does your contract state how many hours of work a week you should be doing?

Is there a risk you could be in breech of that?

I think you need advice from someone who works in HR.

You’ve automated the reports but is the quality of what’s being sent out any good? Have you had any feedback?