a question for any secondary school teachers : jobs

[bananacarnival]

Hi,

My husband has been teaching at a secondary school for 10 years. Unfortunately the new headteacher is horrendous and it's clearly taking a toll on DH + health.

He's seen an attractive post at a school close to home that he'd very much like to apply for, but we were wondering if there's a way to do it discreetly. (up until the interview is over + successful..at which point he'll need a ref from current head) Or is it a given that once you start applying for jobs your head needs to know you're possibly on your way out. The hesitation is because if he doesn't make it through the interview, he may have made things worse between himself and the head.

Not sure I'm making sense here.

Thanks for any advice.

I believe they take references before calling candidates for interview. He will also need to ask for a day off for interview.

He can ask that his current employer is not contacted prior to interview.

its very unusual. One of the unique things about teaching interviews is that they take up refs before shortlisting because they offer within 24 hrs so don't want to withdraw. I think its partly because there is a fairly short 'window' for moving jobs for a Sept start. Does he get on with the deputy head? He could prhaps ask them for a ref on the grounds they know him better

It is better to be upfront; not only because as fairylights has said that reference s are taken up prior to interview, needing a whole day for interview but also because head teachers talk to each other. Your DH's reputation could be serious my damaged by not following protocol

Thank you all very much...read this together with DH. Cricketballs you make a valid point there at the end.

I think your DH should be upfront and honest. He is doing nothing wrong by looking elsewhere and he will be happier elsewhere if the conditions are poor. I fet a teaching job and am now in a school I love and never looked back.

Left

In Scotland (don't know where you are) a lot of the time your HT Report has to be submitted by the advertised job's closing date.

He cannot ask that they do not ask his current employer/school for a reference. Child protection laws mean they have to contact his current school.

TES.co.uk has a good forum on jobs advice with some stuff very relevant to his circumstances.

His school are going to know he is looking. No way round that so he needs to just have some additional reasons to give in work, like wanting to shorten his commute, looking for new challenges etc. Word gets around anyway - if his boss is that bad (and we've all had a few that are) then he will not be the only one leaving and future employers will not count it against him. We all change jobs, for a variety of reasons.

If he ends up stuck in post with shitty boss he needs to keep a record of incidents of bullying, any witnesses, times, dates etc and go to his union rep about it and follow the school/LA grievance procedure.