Got the job but I made application error

[karmakemmie]

Hello, I was wondering if you could help with this. I recently got offered a SEN teaching job which I was thrilled about. I was completely honest in my application form and detailed my experience and qualifications. My interview went well and I’m in the process of proving my qualifications. I emailed them all only to be told I needed to prove my SEN qualification. And then there was a copy of the advert that showed that a SEN qualification was essential! I completely missed this on the job specification.
On speaking to a recruitment manager today she said that there are ways around this and she would speak to the appropriate people. But I would find out on Tuesday as she does a half day and won’t be in on Monday. She also said they were keen to get me in post so I shouldn’t worry. But she couldn’t give me a definitive answer. And Tuesday is a long time to wait.
There is so much riding on me having a permanent job. We are moving out of the area and are aiming to buy a house.
I have worked as a SEN teacher for 16 years and I done lots of CPD and on the job training but nothing that has warranted a specific qualification.
Has anyone found themselves in a similar position and if so what was the outcome? Or employers, have you adapted the job spec to give someone, who could do the job but didn’t have a specific qualification, the role? Or just given them the role knowing they could do the job but didn’t have the advertised specific qualification?
A total long shot I know. But your replies will keep me occupied whilst I fret for the next 4 days! Thanks.

Is it to be the school SENCO? If it is then it's a requirement that you have the qualification and they should have checked.

Sometimes a school will enroll you for the course so that they can evidence you are on the way to qualification. But it's an expensive course that is very demanding.

It's really odd they didn't check.

In roles I recruit for a specific post-graduate qualification is needed.

It's checked at application, and in the interview.

I'm not sure about this situation but as they gave you the job, it's their error so hopefully there's a way around it.

No, not SENCO. A SEN teacher.

I thought QTS was all you needed to be an SEN teacher. I understood it to be you only needed an Sen specific qualification to be a senco.

Do you have QTS? Is this in England?

What's the qualification they have specified?

Sweak**

I have all the relevant teaching qualifications so QTS, degree and PGCE. And yes, I'm in England.

Weknowfrogs...*
*
It didn't say a specific qualification just a 'SEN Qualification'

You haven't made an application error -you have applied for a job where you don't 100% meet the criteria and that's absolutely ok to do

They have selected you for interview knowing you don't have a specific Sen qualification that you don't actually need as long as you hold QTS and have offered you a job knowing that you don't have the qualification

Not your error at all

It may well be a generic request for evidence of qualifications. When I started my current role I got a letter asking for my PGCE certificate-I don't have a PGCE, I have a BEd in primary education with QTS. It wasn't a problem, I just needed to evidence the qualifications I'd stated in my application

Anyone can apply for any job, it's the interviewers role to screen the person and check any requirements that aren't negotiable.

I've found equivalent experience is often fine if you're missing a specific qualification,which it sounds like you have.

I was offered a job where a post graduate qualification in Public health was a requirement. I don't have this. My undergraduate wasn't public health either. They were happy to overlook it in favour of other relevant expierence.

You did nothing wrong.
Anyone can apply for any job, including a job where they do not meet all the 'essential' criteria.
It is up to the appointing body (the school in your case) whether they want to interview and then appoint you.
If the 'SEN qualification' was an essential for them, your application should never have got through the shortlisting stage. But it did.
Clearly they did not ask you about the qualification at interview either, which would be an obvious thing for them to do if this was make or break.
There is clearly no specific qualification they require and you have in no way misled them or misrepresented your qualifications so just let them get on with coming to terms with it!
You can always ask what qualifications they would like you to have, and say you will be happy to undertake them within the role they have offered you.

@karmakemmie

Sweak**

I have all the relevant teaching qualifications so QTS, degree and PGCE. And yes, I'm in England.

Weknowfrogs...*
*
It didn't say a specific qualification just a 'SEN Qualification'

I wouldn't worry then. As long as you have QTS you meet the necessary requirements. If the qualification they want is essential to them then I'm sure you can do it on the job. I'm sure 16 years experience is more valuable!

I'm not sure what qualification they mean? I suppose technically I qualified as a 'SEN teacher' as I did my training in a SEN school, but there's nothing different about my QTS/PGCE compared to people who trained in mainstream.

Is it the school that's asked you to prove the qualification or a recruitment agency? I'd be amazed if the school didn't take 16 years' experience as enough proof that you can do the job TBH! If it's an agency then it sounds like they don't really understand what the school want and it's most likely a miscommunication.

Is it to be the school SENCO? If it is then it's a requirement that you have the qualification and they should have checked.

I know it's not relevant to OP, but in fact SENCOs only have to get the qualification within three years of appointment.

Their oversight and from what you've said your experience will far outweigh the value of a qualification.

You'll be fine.
They will not want to hassle of reposting, re interviewing et etc just for the sake of a SEN qualification for a person who had no experience.

@Scarby9

You did nothing wrong. Anyone can apply for any job, including a job where they do not meet all the 'essential' criteria. It is up to the appointing body (the school in your case) whether they want to interview and then appoint you. If the 'SEN qualification' was an essential for them, your application should never have got through the shortlisting stage. But it did. Clearly they did not ask you about the qualification at interview either, which would be an obvious thing for them to do if this was make or break. There is clearly no specific qualification they require and you have in no way misled them or misrepresented your qualifications so just let them get on with coming to terms with it! You can always ask what qualifications they would like you to have, and say you will be happy to undertake them within the role they have offered you.

This!

I've short listed many applications in my time and would never invite someone to interview unless their application was suitable. So they must have deemed it suitable and your interview confirmed your suitability.

I hope very much that you can accept the job knowing you're the best person for the job and that they are choosing experience and what you do have over a criteria to weed out unsuitable applicants.

But there is no such thing as a 'SEN Qualification'. There's training that I took part in when I worked in SEN schools, but the most I got is a certificate worth a few credits and nowhere near 'qualification' status. So that's odd.

I teach SEN with no specific qualification other than QTS as do all of the teachers in the school I work in as far as I know. I'm now wondering which qualification they require

To clarify I mean no SEN teacher qualification. You qualify as a teacher, there isn't a separate course for teachers specifically going into SEN. Do they just mean a course? If so you can quickly do one online and send that in?

There are Sen-specific qualifications such as the qualification will be a level 7 dyslexia assessor or something like that, in order to be able to apply for exam concessions.

So, if it’s that - to get round it while you train for the qualification you can get an external assessor in. You have to pay but it’s something a lot of Sen departments did in my local area (including me - because I didn’t have the qualification).

Tricky though is they were recruiting to have this as an in-house offer but your experience and that they liked you will mean there is a high chance they will work around it.

You did nothing wrong.
Anyone can apply for any job, including a job where they do not meet all the 'essential' criteria.
It is up to the appointing body (the school in your case) whether they want to interview and then appoint you.

See Obtaining a Pecuniary Advantage by Deception.

As others have said, you were shortlisted and it's on the panel to determine if you met criteria for interview so you have done nothing wrong! Hopefully it will be sorted out quickly. When we have went to recruitment in the past there has been an "or equivalent" option for some criteria so your years of experience and qualifications may well have met the criteria that was set

Compile your evidence of your teaching qualifications and your CPD and send that.

Thanks everyone for your responses. They are really reassuring.
Yes, they saw on my application that I didn't have an additional SEN qualification but I was still shortlisted so I'm hoping my experience is enough.
I listed all my CPD training and will show them the certificates if I need to but I'm hoping it will be resolved easily.
I'm certainly fretting less.
Thanks again

There hasn't been an SEN PGCE since early 80s. That job advert had either lost something ( or gained something) in the transcription or they don't know what they want. Try not to worry OP.