To apply for a job in my children's school?

[TakeawayAgain]

DS1&2 are in primary school. I work in a different school in an admin role that is more like a data manager but I have over 10 years experience in schools having started as a secretary.

Over the last few years I have become increasingly unhappy at my current job, for various reasons. I don't want to say too much in case it is outing.

A job has come up in the office at the school that my children attend and I have confided in a few people that I am tempted to apply. Some are saying I should go for it, others are saying that they would never want to work in the school that their children attend as it might be a conflict of interest and that the children would not enjoy it.

At the same time as this advert popping up, I have been promised changes to my job role which sound positive and might make me happier but they say never count your chickens...

I'm in two minds about applying as I think it is less money for more hours but the job would be much less stressful and I would need to try to negotiate the advertised hours (which I realise they might not be open to anyway) but I suppose I'm asking WWYD? Would you work in your child's school? If you do, what has been your experience? Does it bother your DCs? If I don't get the job will it make my relationship with the school awkward? If they offer it to me and I turn it down because the hours don't work, that would definitely make it awkward, surely? They are clearly open to parent candidates as they notified us about the vacancies by text.

I don't want to look back in two years and wish I'd stayed/wish I'd applied and got the new one!

If you read that far, thanks. Any advice gratefully received! :)

You're overthinking this. Just apply for the job and see what happens. You may get an interview, you may not. You may be offered it, you may not. But if you don't even apply for it, you'll never know!

I work in my Dc school as a TA and I love it, I've got a better relationship with all the staff as well. Best thing I did.

I think it's quite common for children to have a parent working in the school they attend, be it a teacher/TA/office member/dinner lady or whatever.
You would make it clear to your DCs that you're not there as "mummy" and they must treat you the same as they would any other adult at school. Most of them get this without any issue.

Yes just apply. It doesn't need to be awkward as long as it is all professional e.g. If you turned it down you did so promptly, politely etc (obviously you would!). I don't think working in the office is that weird for children.

I’d go for it, it’s not like you’ll be their teacher. I went to a big school and half the TAs and office staff had kids at the school.

Yep definitely apply. Your kids won't be at the school forever will they. A few of the staff at my daughter's school either had children go through the school or currently have kids there.

I work in a large secondary and loads of staff send their children there (even the head!) I think it shows what a great school we have and it helps to build a strong sense of community. Totally not weird for a parent to work at their child’s school in any capacity IMHO.

My mum was a secretary in my primary school for most of my time there and all of my sisters time.

Can’t say it ever bothered me!

I work at DD's secondary school. She's fiercely independent so we see very little of each other! I'm not sure it would've worked so well when she was primary age.

Tbh I find working at the same school quite intense but I think that can be the nature of working at schools in general. When I was with XH we had DD at one local school, me at another and him at a private school in the next town...it was all consuming at times.