Should I apply for an Assistant Headship 45 minutes from home?

[ButterPopcorn]

Hi,

I am a primary teacher and SENCO (for which I have a TLR), and I live eight minutes from my current school (yep, that precise!) where I have been for two years. I've been teaching seven years altogether. I have seen a job advertised for September that I am interested in- it is still a SENCO post, but is also Assistant Head. I want to progress and feel ready for the next challenge in my career, and I also want to start thinking about starting a family in the next couple of years (getting married this year!) so I want to push myself to get as far as I can with my career before I have children so that if I then decide I want to drop some responsibilities once I have a family, I will always be able to say I'd reached that level, if you see what I mean.

However, the school where the Assistant Headship is advertised is 45 minutes away from home- I know I am totally spoiled/lucky with my current eight minute journey, and have previously had 45-50 minute journeys to work, and it is just such a drain on either side of your working day.

Again looking to the next couple of years when children come along, will a 45 minute journey just be too much? Should I stick with my current, nearby job to help ease work-life balance for when I have children, or push myself to promotion!?

Of course, this is all completely hypothetical because I may not even get short-listed/get through interview anyway!

Another thought that is also floating around is that this is quite early for jobs to be advertised for September and that something else could come up closer to home, and what if I applied and got this one 45 minutes away (long shot?!), and then saw one closer to home?! But then again, you can't live on "what ifs" because I could pass up this one and then nothing else could come up!

Argh! Any thoughts/advice greatly welcomed!

NobbyClark- Yes you can!

MrsShrek3 The Deputy at my last school (Primary with 250 on roll) was 26 and had been teaching 5 years when she came into post- she was brilliant too!

Agree MrsShrek3 but definitely worth OP applying to see what happens. Some people seem to progress into management very quickly.

Point taken Belinda Carlisle . Great name BTW.

You're a good 18 months to 2 years away from the commute plus children being a problem. I'd not not apply on that basis alone. You're right about the chance of other posts coming along before though.

Agree with nebulous that I don't mind the commute. I've spent the last 5 years commuting 40 minutes each way, and I like that, actually. I can spend the first 20 minutes winding down from school, mentally going over what I need to do the next day, etc - and then the next 20 mins thinking, 'Right - where the hell are all the DCs today? And what's for tea?'. I need that distance to separate school from home.

Worst job I ever had was 5 min drive from home. I'd arrive home still raging about what bottom set Y10 had done to wind me up last period!

Or if you got the job you could move closer to it.

My cut-off point has - and will always be - half an hour each way. I'm about to start a new post that is bang on 30 mins. Luckily it's a very easy journey, practically one dual carriage way the whole route. It would be much worse if it was 30 mins through a busy town centre for instance.

I've seen people do commutes of an hour+ each way. I'd hate that. I value my evenings too much.

30 mins is my max journey time too! I resent the time spent in the car (and petrol) and the time added onto the working day as a result.