Advice needed about looking for another job and my notice period - is this something I could negotiate with my employer?

[whatshallIdo1]

I have been working as a school administrator in my current school for a year now. I was employed last September 2018 to cover someone’s maternity leave, and as that person is not coming back, my contract was extended from the end of July 2019 to the end of December 2019.

After that the head is going to consider what happens to my position, and if the job description changes, which she would like it to, I will be welcome to apply for the new job if I want to.

Due to how much this job pays as well as the distance I have to travel (and other issues linked to the job itself), I have more or less decided that I will be looking for another job for January 2020.

However I have recently seen a job I really want to apply for – they are looking for someone to start the first week in November.

Given that my contract says I have to give a term’s notice before leaving, in theory I can’t apply for this, however, do you think there is a case for my going to the head and saying I am applying for jobs so that she can put an advert out for my job now. In which case, if my some chance I did get the job which looks so great, she would probably have found someone by that time?

Or should I wait until we are half way through the term and start looking for January then?

I was paid over the summer, so I don’t want (and couldn’t anyway contract wise) to up sticks now or within a month even (which would be a more normal notice period for someone doing my kind of job), but given that by the first week in November I will have been back at work since the end of August, it’s not like I will have taken the summer money and run?

Not sure what to do or how to play it. I also need a good reference from my current employer so don’t want to annoy her.

Of course if she weren’t able to find someone else by the first week in November, I would have to stay put until she did.

Any advice gratefully received .

I would go and have a chat. It sounds as though you have responded with flexibility to their changing circumstances, so it’s only fair you give them the chance to do the same.
A terms notice is normal in teaching, and three months can be usual for senior key staff, but it’s a long time in a school admin role. I’m guessing you wouldn’t now be able to tender your resignation until Christmas, leaving at Easter? Is that correct?

Sorry, I’ve re-read your OP, you can give your notice at any time, but a whole term has to elapse?

I guess that if my contract were ongoing, I could say I wanted to leave now to actually leave in January. As it ends in December, I suppose that at some point the head will ask me what I want to do and what her plans are and I will at that point say that I am looking for other work for January.

Except that I would like to leave sooner than that now!

I would under no circumstances leave them (or be able to in fact) if they hadn't found someone else, but how long will it take to find an admin person - presumably not that long?

I did this. I left my teaching contract for a new career one month early. I couldn’t alter the start date for the new job as there were many recruits starting trading on a fixed date.
Head totally understood (20 odd years ago though).

and tell me what her plans are I meant to say

I think you need to have a chat, but don’t miss your chance at a job you really want. Now that you know you’ll be re-applying for ‘your’ job (and the role might be quite different) I think there’s scope for negotiation. Don’t sell yourself short.

Apply for new job and worry about notice if you get it