"Gold dust" school jobs

[Smartsub]

I am currently trying to recruit for support staff in school. I need kitchen, staff, admin and TAs. All term time only and all school hours. The jobs I've previously seen referred to on here as "gold dust".

We are getting hardly any applications and those we do get a poor. Admittedly the money is poor, but that's always been the case. Until a couple of years ago the difficult part was sifting through the 100s of applications we'd get for such jobs, now we rarely get more than a handful.

What's changed?

Sorry that last message was for @LadyFlumpalot

I agree @mamaism , there are so many people who who think that a career break means you know zilch and are always going to be off with your kids.
There was a thread here recently where someone in that situation was upset as a recent graduate had been chosen over her. Some Posters were saying she would be unreliable, whereas surely a recent graduate is more likely to be off with a hangover for example.
If employers are having to rethink their mindsets then good.

Gosh, just coming on to reiterate everything that’s already been said. I’ll be leaving my role as support staff as soon as I’ve found a suitable alternative.

I feel that the whole atmosphere in the school i work at has changed since covid. Everyone feels over stretched, burdened and undervalued (including teachers).

But the support staff are really the ones that get the crappy treatment - as others have said our TTO pay is crap, pension is crap, we get all of the rubbish ‘extra’ jobs tagged onto our real jobs with no consideration of the impact it has and we get spoken to as if we are imbeciles by SLT (who often have absolutely zero knowledge of the fact that lots of their support staff are actually just as intelligent and academically qualified as them!).

The real kick in the teeth at our school was when teaching staff got gifts to thank them for the extra work they’d done during covid - whereas the support staff, who are poorly paid to start with, got absolutely zilch for turning up everyday to look after the key worker kids with bugger all mitigation measures.

@Widgets - I'm afraid I wouldn't know, I'm not in the NHS.

I am also considering leaving after many years as support staff. My working conditions are okay (private sector) but I'm finding it exhausting since Covid and I don't have the right day to day flexibility with my own kids. I see posts on here with former school staff who seem happy in new roles outside education.

Your recruitment problem, @Smartsub , is because there is a massive mismatch between the traits and skills schools are looking for and the amount they are able to pay. What they are really looking for are highly motivated, 100% reliable, physically fit, intelligent, flexible, even tempered, emotionally intelligent, resilient, discreet, diplomatic, organised people with excellent communication and other skills, capable of engaging with children, work colleagues, parents and other child professionals. What they are offering to pay, and the hours offered (always considerably less than the actual number of hours required, but with the expectation that a sense of duty and responsibility will keep the employee there, rather than leaving others in the lurch and children in dangerous situations, despite no overtime pay being likely), are more likely to attract people who think the hours and term time only work might make the job appropriate for those with low educational attainment, in poor health or with other caring commitments, those close to retirement who don’t need to earn much and want to wind down gently, and those with limited skills all round who think the job must be fairly basic and easy, because that’s what the pay implies.

Yes teachers get a decent salary

Support staff are paid by the hour for term time hours only

Here lies the problem who can afford to be paid 25hrs a week for only 38 weeks a year on minimum wage as a TA?

I’ve seen RIO briefly, yes every sector will have specific databases to hold the specific information needed in specialist fields.

Newsflash to employers - once you know what a database is, a system of many records searchable by selected fields - then you know what a database is. The ability to use a computer database is transferable to another database. I really don’t know what the issue is, and find it equally frustrating.

I agree and although I work in an educational environment I only work my hours

I don't think I would do it tbh

@Widgets thats frustrating about SIMS, it’s just a database! If you are computer literate you can pick it up. It’s really not rocket science.
Our school had to change from one MIS to another, so all school staff have have had to learn another completely new system anyway. Some staff have coped better than others! So I would say overall computer literacy and ability to learn quickly is more important than being able to use one specific system.

I seem to remember that when I went for my interview I was asked if I had used SIMS, I said no but that I was very computer literate, familiar with a wide variety of computer programmes including Excel, had recently been on a computer coding course, so was sure I would have no problems learning how to use it. I also said I was willing to undertake any training courses necessary to get up to speed prior to starting. That seemed to do the trick!

It's because the money is shit.
There is no flexibility.
And you can only go on holiday in school holidays but you are paid such a pittance that you can't afford a holiday!
I left as soon as my kids got old enough to sort themselves

They don’t phone in sick to HR

School office staff here and I echo everything on here. Overworked and underpaid for the level of skill and responsibility needed.
I chose the role initially because it suited my family life (DH works long hours, wanted a local job and school holidays off), and also the job suits my skills set (very organised, adaptable, good under pressure, enjoy working with children).

However as my own DC are getting older I am looking around for something else which is less stressful, pays better, and more flexible in terms of hours.

I went into this job rather naively thinking that at this pay level it would be an easy admin job that would give me enough time and energy for my own family… ha!
It’s non stop all day, I have to deal with so many issues that I have had no training for (e.g. panic attacks, mental health issues) . I regularly work my (unpaid) lunch hour. I am very conscientious but am always worried that the slightest mistake will end up with a ton of shit on my head and a parent yelling down the phone at me. I need excellent English and computer skills, to be good at dealing with difficult parents, and to be able to help pupils with all manner of problems.

I am degree educated and similar to others often wonder if I am just being mugged off.

Right, now off to look at Indeed….

Says who?

The SBM is HR and they phone in sick to HR here. She does the cover.

Oh and I forgot to mention the zero CPD or opportunity to progress your career. We’ve had plenty of smart young women (always women…) in our school office roles who have moved on after a year or two for a better role because there’s no opportunity for them to progress in the school.

As for CPD… the last few INSET days, the support staff spent the whole time doing Covid testing, while the teachers did their CPD. There’s no training opportunities for support staff.

Says me, that doesn’t refer to cover it’s about parents phoning their kids in sick

So true. I am an LTS. It's manic everyday. We are responsible for the children's safety and welfare.

Teachers are supported by TAs.

During indoor wet playtime I am a LTS totally on my own with 30 kids.

I commented earlier is this thread and my comments at the start pretty much echo what everyone else has said. I am a lone parent and currently I am finding the pay increasingly difficult to work with. However I have a primary age son so not having to find childcare for 13 weeks of the year is a massive saving for me so I'd say I'm in this job for the next few years at least.
It does make me sad though at times. Looking back I felt like I was sold a dream. I was so excited to join the team but it only took a matter of weeks to learn it wasn't a bright as I'd been led to believe. The level of work is absolutely crazy. INSANE!!! I find the atmosphere at times really unfair and unkind. Only people in the school office will know how much work is put on you and it's all urgent. You need to love working in a state of chaos. But you're job is not just admin. You end up having way more responsibility than the pay reflect. The information that feeds through you is critical in so many things throughout the school from the processes up to things like prosecutions! There is little appreciation and I feel you are viewed as bottom of the pile, but the school office are a critical cog in the running of the school in my opinion. I often feel you are made to feel lucky you've got a job that works so well around your child. And don't get my wrong that is wonderful. But that's about the only rosey thing about it. I idolise the kids at my school so what helps me is knowing that everything I am doing is helping/benefitting them. But my dream idea of moving into a school job ended very quickly

People who need to work flexibly around kids can wfh online nowadays for a better wage. That’s the top and bottom of it. If you want to recruit you’ll need to pay a more competitive salary.

During indoor wet playtime I am a LTS totally on my own with 30 kids

This brings back memories. Although at times I found myself patrolling alone up and down a corridor of four classes of 30 and expected to escort said classes one at a time downstairs and along the corridor to the lunch hall at five minute intervals.

TBH I'm quite glad to have been kicked into touch by MS. I now work hours that suit me in SEN which is never ever a sole enterprise and pays every minute of any extra hours I choose to do.

I am feeling very sad at the moment. I have decided to leave my support role. I am somebody who doesn't need the money but I was doing it because I wanted to work and because I loved working with the children. But, I have been let down. I feel under appreciated and feel used. I have been working as a temporary TA and worked hard to get a permanent role where I wanted to be at my dc school but it wasn't meant to be. I was always pipped to the post. I left and went elsewhere, got some great experience but my appraisal lasted all of 3 minutes so I just thought what am I doing it for anymore. I am going to miss the kids but my role in the classroom is temporary and only my lunchtime supervisor role is permanent.

I was in your shoes 5 years ago. I interviewed at a school for a Data Manager role - met some of the other (lovely) candidates who were doing the job, but actually my passion for Data got ME the job. I learned SIMS (and there are now many other competitors) - but I did work hard. In my current role I am considered to be an expert but somehow the teaching staff don't want to ask unless they are desperate.