to want DP to let me go on this course?

[Desperateretrainedmumof3]

I retrained nearly 2 years ago but haven't got a job. We're really struggling with money, we could even lose the house.

Anyway there's a course which teaches you how to get interviews for the field I retrained in, it costs £50 and is based in London (we don't live in London so travel costs but a return train is £20 then tube costs so maybe £80 total?

DP says its snake oil, taking advantage of people's misery, but it's totally legitimate. I feel so unsupported by DP. AIBU?

[Oakmaiden]

Are you living in a rural area, or in town, OP? Because I find breakfast and after school clubs cover me OK for supply at local schools, but I have had to say that I can't travel out of town to work without a week's notice.

Obviously this won't help your youngest though. When is he/she 3? You could free up a couple of days then using childcare vouchers, oir however the govt currently funds 3 year old provision, to let you do supply.

[notapizzaeater]

People Aren't telling you to get a job - they are all telling you need recent experience either supply or volunteering.

We use the same supply people again and again, once they've proved themselves we ask for them by name. Some of these came by volunteering for a day a week and they showed us how good they are. I'd really look not putting the kids into some sort of childcare and biting the bullet, painful short term but the long term gains are huge.

The last few TA interviews I've been to have gone to a TA known to the school.

[Juno77]

You aren't listening to the great advice you are getting here. Honestly, people are trying to help and all you've taken so far is 'get a job'? Please listen!

You don't have the money to waste on this course.

Get another evening job for now.

Volunteer during the day at schools or do private tutoring. Even one day a week. Or volunteer/work with some other childcare related thing; an after school club or a brownies group for example. Not necessarily education but certainly relevant experience. Better than sitting at home anyway.

And then take the advice about your applications.

[MissMillament]

If it is the TES course run by TheoGriff it is not dodgy in the slightest and represents exceptionally good value for money. Teaching interviews are very tricky and from what I have heard TheoGriff is really good at helping people prepare for them. I do think the OP is right to try to do this course if she can.

[TheFallenMadonna]

Primary or secondary? Have you had any interviews?

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

Wow op, how ungrateful! Lots of people have given advice, some of us have offered practical help for free and others have shared their stories.

oakmaiden (and anyone else with manners) - if you'd ever like help personalising an application then feel free to pm me.

Op - good luck.

[Oakmaiden]

I do try to visit schools. If I am booked for a week's work when the ad comes out, there is not much I can do about it though. I do my best, and as I was saying to the OP, I think being on supply is really a fantastic help. After a term on supply I have several schools who repeatedly request me, and who I think would consider me for contracted roles.

I don't know if application procedures vary from area to area, but around here you are not allowed to offer a CV - you have to fill in their application form, which has a page for "letter in support of application".

[CharlesRyder]

I agree with alistron that planning a day a week of childcare so you can do a day a week of supply would be best if possible.

Do you send a good covering letter with your application form?

DH and I are both SLT and, without meaning to be smug, are both good at getting interviews. We both follow the format of almost bulletpointing the application form statement to demonstrate specific experience that matches the job description. Then we write a concise but more prosey covering letter that covers the 'personal' bits of the person spec and how we think we could contribute to the school's development aims. Seems successful.

[Oakmaiden]

Truth - I will probably take you up on that, if you don't mind. I have been lucky enough to find full time supply for this term (didn't need an application - the agency put me forward, and I went in to do a demo lesson), but I suspect in the next few weeks I will be starting to apply for jobs for Summer Term.

[Oakmaiden]

Charles - I think my covering letters are crap. So I will think more carefully on that in the future. Thank you for the advice all - I know I am not the OP, but this has been so useful for me!

[SpikeyTree]

Every single teaching job I've applied for I've been invited for interview. There is no magic to it other than really tailoring your letter and form to the position you are applying for - you can start with a generic one but you must go through the person spec line by line and address each part of it in your letter. That's what I look for when I am short-listing. If I have to choose between two equally good application I often go to A-Level grades.

Theo's course will be good, but if you don't have the money you don't have the money. Loads of experienced teachers and interviewers are offering to help you here.

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

Sorry oakmaiden - I wasn't criticising. It sounds like you're doing great. By cv I meant 'cv or application' and yes I think it differs by area/school, but they're basically the same thing aren't they? (in what they include at least)

[Desperateretrainedmumof3]

I don't understand, paying for a day of childcare would tot up to more than £80, it costs £50 a day. 2 year old isn't 3 until July. I'm not trying to be ungrateful but I've said three or four times now, I have tried to get a job, any job, I've worked evenings and weekends but that was seasonal and it's gone now. We live rurally, I've no car and no childcare. So I am limited.

Have tried private tutoring but there's not much call for it round here.

[Littlefish]

Re supply. I contacted only schools which I knew were near enough for me to get back from in time to pick up dd. I also made it clear that I was only available with notice. That way, I always had time to book childcare.

Once at schools, I made sure I was asked back. I always checked in advance if the classteacher wanted me to do anything in particular, and whether they wants me to plan, or if they would be leaving planning. I always offered to do playground duty, even if it wasn't the regular teacher's turn. I marked according to the marking policy and always left detailed notes for the classteacher. I was friendly (but not overly so). I always thanked TAs and other classteachers at the end of the day. I was always asked back!

I was offered contracts in all three schools where I did supply. It really is a great way of getting to know schools, build confidence and get the inside track on any vacancies.

[MissMillament]

I think people are being rather hard on the OP, although to be honest it would have been more helpful if she had given more info about the course she wanted to go on at the start. It is a very useful one (and the person who runs it is the same person who gives a lot of very valuable free advice on TES so clearly OP has already done many of the things others here have advised her to do). FWIW the executive summary that she suggests doing worked excellently well in securing me a teaching job.
However, as others have said, none of that is a substitute for recent experience and I agree with the advice from others about volunteering. Are you primary or secondary OP? Can your DH use some holiday to look after the DC so that you can volunteer for a couple of weeks. Honestly, that is your best course of action right now, however difficult it is to arrange.

[LIZS]

What quaifications do you have and are you getting interviews ? If not a course on interview technique won't really help . Do you have any voluntary or practical experience of working with children - if not offer at your kids' schools, children's centres, playgroups, library. Find something you really enjoy and offer to run an extracurricular club. Join pta committee so you know what goes on and make contacts. Could you start as a midday supervisor ? Could your youngest go to a CM for a day or two a week so you have some time to offer as a basis for supply, when are they 3 ?

[Desperateretrainedmumof3]

And I have got manners, I just got upset with being told I lacked common sense and wanted to go on a dodgy course and people here could help, when I've tried so had with all the free advice and got nowhere, and I am desperate, absolutely at my wits end.

[alistron1]

CharlesRyder - that's really good advice regarding the application statement. Being specific, concise and using the wording of the person spec/JD to formulate your statement is a winner.

Also, research the schools, use their websites, read their OFSTED reports, look at their performance data. It gives a better feel for what they want.

Visits are useful - actually essential, before you fill in the form.

Finally, proof read, proof read and proof read again. No recruiter is impressed by basic spelling and grammar errors.

Good luck OP!

[tethersend]

Theo Griff is pretty good, it's not snake oil.

I'm a teacher who has short listed and interviewed for positions many times. I have also helped people write personal statements which have secured them interviews; but it's very important that the statements relate directly to the person spec. rather than a generic statement.

Am happy to take a look at anyone's application or give interview tips though

[LIZS]

Presumably £80 for a couple of hours is a lot to your household , what about childcare on that day ? It may not be the panacea you wish for , especially if you say there are other issues which will preclude you for following some possibilities up.

[Juno77]

There aren't any jobs you could do that aren't seasonal? No evening bar work? No cleaning jobs? The bars and restaurants don't close after Christmas.

You are being stubborn.

Pay for childcare, if you want to do voluntary work. Or work evenings. Or do both. You'll get earnings plus tax credits to cover childcare. Do the work you need to earn but also work towards your teaching goal (like I said - work with children in some capacity - tutor, brownies, after school clubs etc).

Don't be defeatist - be proactive and do something!

The course isn't a magic cure.

[ImperialBlether]

The problem is that there are times when jobs are advertised and now is a really quiet time for finding a teaching job.

OP, I can understand your frustration and despair but perhaps use some of the advice from MN (especially if experienced people are willing to help you offline) before paying for a course?

Perhaps you could set up another thread asking for anyone who works in recruitment to have a chat with you?

[YoullNeedATray]

Hitting all the buttons on the person spec is where the 'summary' that TheoGriff recommends comes in.

Copy their person spec and make it into a table. First column is their headings. Second column is what they listed under those headings. Third column is how you meet what they want (or as an NQT, what you will do). Just bullet points, a few words.

No idea whether the formatting will work, but here is a (edited!) Copy & Paste of the top of one of mine as an NQT ... My words are italics

Competency Your Requirements My experience

Knowledge
Up to date knowledge of the National Curriculum Responded to consultation on new curriculum
Knowledge and understanding of the SEN Code of Practice Have Statemented pupil(s) in current & previous classes.
KS2 assessment
APP and AfL Optional SATS and teacher assessment used. APP grids and Target Tracker software used. Current school’s continuous teacher assessment methods used.
Awareness of the current issues in primary education including:

• Curriculum structure
• Assessment and planning
• School self-evaluation
• Good management practice
• Team building Responded to consultation on new curriculum

Adapt planning in response to assessment
Working to fully utilise TA’s skills
Team working identified as a strength

PM me your e-mail address and I'll happily share the full thing. My Heads have told me that this format really worked for them. It was a ready-made checklist of how I met their criteria.

[Littlefish]

Presumably your 7 and 5 year olds will be at school during the day, so you would only be paying childcare for your 2 year old, and a little bit of before/after school care for the older ones.

Could your DP take a day or half a day off work each week for 6 weeks in order for you to volunteer. Presumably he gets holiday pay, so the loss of holiday would be more than made up for if the recent experience helps you to get a job.

[SilverApples]

So how are you going to raise £80?
If you don't have a car, how are you going to get to the job when you get one, how will you afford one before you have a salary?
What does your DP think you should do?