Would you consider taking a school job to get priority admission for your child?

[addictedmoi]

Our school gives priority admission to children of staff who have been employed 2 years or more or who have a role for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage. It applies to teaching and support staff. Many schools have similar policies. Given there is often lots of discussion about the lengths people will go to to secure a coveted school place, is it something you would consider if you didn't have the means to move house into carchment, or qualify for some other kind of priority? I'm curious as to whether people generally know about it being an option, especially as the term "demonstrable skills shortage" could increasingly be applied to many support roles.

I have never known this in the public sector. I was a secondary teacher for 25 years. This completely goes against all the inclusion and diversity stuff.

I was at school during the 70s/80s and it was definitely a thing then but I didn't realise it still is.

Anyway no I wouldn't because I wouldn't particularly want to work in a school my child attends.

We considered it when looking for a role that fits around school hours and children were approaching secondary. Didn't apply in the end because the role wasn't great.

God no

I think this is an awful policy. You would not get the best people working at a school.

Why not? They still have to be the best at interview.

It's in the National Admissions Code. All the state secondaries in my area use it.

Yep, I absolutely would. I suspect most people just don’t know about this option.

I strongly disagree with this policy but then I also would never in a million years have taught at the schools my kids went to. I think it’s a terrible idea.

Absolutely not, I don't agree with the policy. I do have skills that are in shortage in schools and I don't want to do it, can earn more elsewhere and if I had to work in a school I wouldn't want to work in the same school my child attends - I think it's detrimental to them.

Actually in the scenario you have described, yes I would consider it. Obviously it would have to be a job I actually wanted and felt I would be good at and happy to stay in for several years. If I felt my child's educational needs would not be met, or there were known problems with bullying at the only other schools on offer and I couldn't afford to move into the catchment area of the desired school, then hell yes I would definitely pursue this route.

Yes I would. If I thought that school would be best for my child, I would apply for the role.

I didn’t know about this and anyway it’s not relevant to me anymore but in principle I would consider this seriously. There are pros and cons to both sides. There were quite a few children of staff in both DD’s primary and secondary but most of them were from the catchment so it was rather - it’s more convenient to work locally rather then in your child’s school.
It seems worked fine.

I think given that it’s a policy it’s something people would naturally consider. To be there for two years before your child started would mean you had to enjoy the job at least a bit to last that long.

If it was a large school and either an exceptionally good school or a distance from home that would make them attending another school difficult and the job very good then I would certainly do it. But my particular job in schools isn’t one that would involve contact with my own children so it would be an easier choice for me than many.

In our area most schools offer this as a way of retaining or attracting good teaching staff.

I know someone who went into a role for this reason. Very clever. Can't say I approve but hey how.

I know two people who have done this and it worked out fine in both cases. One was at a state primary to get the reception place and the other at a private secondary to get the substantial staff discount on the fees.

I work at a private school and it's full of staff who work there to get DC in cheaper.

I work in independent schools and they all offer 25% or even the coveted 50% staff discount on fees, and it's a big motivating factor for lots of staff. When my son is a bit older I will definitely be considering this when thinking about where I want to be working.

I've seen this a few times at different schools (private and state) and I might have considered it, if I'd been a teacher.
However from the school's side, it looks good to be able to say that X number of teachers have so much faith in the school, they sent their dc there.

It would mean different relationships, but the up side is the easy factor-although certainly my dc would have moaned at always having to be early there, late out.

For me it would have to have meant that it was not just the best school I could get my dc into locally, but also none of the others were close. Because I think it's best for the kids generally not to have their parents at the school, especially at secondary.

For primary, it us a good way to retain experienced staff in the face of difficult childcare options.

Many female staff who work
in schools full time while their children are at nursery really struggle once their children start school, especially if their work takes them in a different direction or eg the school’s wrap around care is full or dies not rake Reception children.

I have not experienced it as a ‘pull’ to the extent that staff take jobs they would not have done if the policy was not there, but I have absolutely seen it act as a way to retain good existing staff.

I 100% would, no doubt at all in my mind.

A number of schools locally have this policy, in that children of staff jump up the criteria (generally to number 3 or 4 on the oversubscription criteria)

I know one mum who has done this. It worked as daughter started there in September.

No. In my experience schools change anyway and 2 years could mean that it’s no longer the best school anyway.

No. But I really never understand the tying up in knots about getting the best school places anyway. Everyone I know including myself just sends their kids to the catchment area schools.