Asked to apply for my own job - didn't get it

[housemoverihope]

I am an NQT in a twice-over "outstanding in every area" secondary school. I was given a 1 year contract that I am half way through. I was recently told that I wasn't being made permanent but instead needed to reapply for my position - another 1 year contract. I have done really well in every observation etc and my HoD specifically requested I reapply. Interview day came and I put up with being given a visitor's badge and being taken on a tour of the school etc. Taught a great lesson then went to interview. I thought my interview went well although in hindsight I probably gave a similar interview as to the first time I applied.

Outcome was I didn't get the job. Department is shocked, HoD said it was very close but the decision had to be made between himself the 2 SLT s and the head and he had to go with the majority. Feedback is that the other candidate was more ambitious - fair enough. I focussed more on learning and the progress of my students as currently there is nowhere for me to aim for in the department (TLRs for everything!)

The 2 SLT s are based within my dept and neither have mentioned anything since, I have pretty much gone into hiding. The school quote a line from their ofsted report about how they look after their staff and it has left me very bitter. Even a "thankyou for applying, you must be very disappointed, let us know if there is anything we can help with with your job applications" would have made me feel better. Instead I have had 2 learning walks with a "hello miss".

It's eating me up - I am so desperate to say something. I know I'll come across as bitter though and I should just put my energy into finding a job for September :(

So sorry to hear that, how gutting!
I wish you every success in finding a new and far better position, a permanent one. And I hope they come to realise they've lost a good one by letting you go.

I know your pain. I had very similar happen in a primary school. Did a years supply there, rated outstanding in ofsted inspection, good class progress. I even did extra curricular activities 3 times a week.

Then I didnt even get an interview. Gutted is not the word. I got through the rest of the year but that was it

So sorry this has happened to you. The same happened to me too.
My situation was slightly different as I had been told by the head that this was just a formality. I went to the union but didn't persue it as I found another job quickly.

Frankly, bollocks to them. Talk to the union then take the school up on their offer of help. Don't forget to leave a kipper behind the radiator before you leave.

My post didn't make it clear.
I was told the interview was a formality.

That is very frustrating and I would feel quite insulted to have been given a visitors badge at a school I am a member of staff at! They dealt with the whole thing very badly. Fair enough if they don't want to renew your contract but they went about it all the wrong way.
Sounds like you'll be better off elsewhere...

I too work at a school which quotes how well they look after their staff, how friendly they are, how low staff turnover is (it isn't particularly low) as a method to try and brainwash staff into thinking it is worse elsewhere. In reality many staff are beginning to realise they are manipulative, unprofessional and obsessive. Your school sounds similar... I hope it is one of those 'meant to be' things where you find yourself in a new, lovely school and look back and think 'lucky escape'.

That's awful. Is the school going through a staff restructure?

I am on the finance committee of a secondary school and we are struggling to make ends meet. The government cuts are having a massive impact on education and all the schools round here are having to let good teachers go because there isn't enough in the budget to pay them.

Sorry you feel so bad and it is understandable.

TBF, the school has concerns about you.If a school already has someone they rate in a main scale fixed term post, they don't even go to advert, they just extend your contract for a further year. I could understand an advert if the contract had been permanent but not for a one year.

However, for the school to take a risk and appoint someone they don't know over you- who they know well, see teach, know how good your lessons are, how well you get on with students etc- the other person must have been much better.

I have interviewed on many teacher appointments as a member of an SLT, a Head of Dept and a governor over that last 5 years- in my school and the school where I am a governor. I have never yet seen a very good internal candidate not get a job against a similar external candidate. I have never yet seen a very good internal candidate already doing the job interviewed for a further one year contract for the same job.

The fact that they went to advert and interview in the first place for a fixed term post where you were already doing the job says it all. They had no intention of appointing you unless they could not find someone better- so they have concerns and they should be honest.

You sound like you want to be an excellent teacher and they should have had the decency to give you constructive feedback on why they did not want to appoint you.

They were following HR advice by offering you an interview to cover themselves so they can say you had a fair opportunity. If you complain you are unlikely to gain anything as you have been employed less than a year.

Sounds tough I know. I have no problem with schools wanting the very best person but they sould be honest with their staff. The problem is that employment law has to be worked with- rightly but it is daft at times.

That's a very unfair post Lulu - talk about kicking someone when they are down . You have absolutely no way of knowing why they appointed another candidate - it could very easily be that they were restructuring, or the successful candidate was on the equivalent of our (NHS) redeployment list, or they had a permanent contract elsewhere that had to be honoured in some way....there are a myriad of other reasons why an internal candidate is not appointed over an external candidate - from personal experience of appointing.

OP - I can absolutely understand your frustration and bitterness. None of us on here can give you the answers you need sadly - I would ask for formal feedback as a matter of urgency and get my Union involved. Nothing is going to change the outcome of interview, but by getting staff side representation you can make sure you're not fobbed off with vague reasons/excuses from them. Good luck with your future job hunting - and use the feedback to your advantage to skip out of there with your head held high. They have behaved very unprofessionally and should be looking to their own performance as a matter of priority.

You're SLT Lulu and you are seemingly unaware that advert is a noun, not a verb.....

OP

Thanks for all the constructive advice. I am going to ask for formal feedback to help me get a job elsewhere. I am just so disappointed and embarrassed!

Lulu you may well be right but all I can go off is what they tell me. There have been literally no signs that they have a problem with my teaching up until now. My HoD has been very direct with me and seems (like the rest of my dept) genuinely disappointed with the outcome. Hopefully if I can get some feedback from the SLTs/head I'll get a clearer idea of what has gone wrong.

Lulu, I don't agree at all. I have seen this situation many times over the years. I have been involved in this process (SLT) and sometimes it really is down to the interview on the day. If there is an outstanding candidate they could well get the job over an NQT who has been doing well.

Make sure you get feedback op. I think someone should have arranged to see you the day after the interview. They are unprofessional cowards not to do that.

Thanks for taking the time to post that sortmylifeout. That is what my HoD said it came down to and it has really helped that you have said the same especially since my self confidence is at rock bottom!

Lulu in my school is it very common for staff on FTCs to have to have to reapply after a year. Sometimes they get it, often they don't. They never ever keep people on without interviewing again...

Where is the logic is appointing someone to a position when they are rabidly "ambitious" enough to want to more or less immediately move on upwards?
Why is stability so undervalued?

OP that is a horrible situation. Some schools really are cruel to staff on FTC. You absolutely must get feedback and if it came down to the interview, then I would ask for help with interview skills.

The school have dealt with it badly. The visitor badge part was bizarre... I really don't understand the necessity of that? Get on the TES, write an amazing covering letter and build your confidence up again. Good luck!

"Where is the logic is appointing someone to a position when they are rabidly "ambitious" enough to want to more or less immediately move on upwards?
Why is stability so undervalued?"

I agree. DD's school has recently gone through several heads of department in core subjects because they moved on to deputy headships elsewhere. The school was just used as a stepping stone.

This happened to an NQT at my primary. She's now doing really well in an outstanding school - best thing that could have happened to her! I got appointed after my NQT year, but am seriously considering leaving the school and quite possibly the profession.

I agree Gul. As it was not getting my own job was the best thing that happened. I now have a permanent job at a much nicer school and have been happier.
Still didn't stop it hurting at the time and I was lucky to fall into my current job.

OP - you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I'm usually on the appointing side - if anyone should feel embarrassed it's the HT and management team for handling things so badly. What they did was incredibly unprofessional and insensitive, and I would be mortified if I was part of an interview panel which behaved in that way.

housemove, I am sorry to hear the news. I hope something better turns up for you.

Perhaps your HR give different advice to our local authority HR.

Our HR tell us:
If we have someone doing a really good job on a FTC who we want to keep, simply offer them an extension to the contract.

If we do not want to keep them, we should have told them what our concerns are and have already offered support to address those.

If we have concerns and have not been honest and raised them already, we should interview for the post and they can apply and be interviewed and we can see if there is anyone better out there.

If there is someone in another school who is up for redeployment, we don't advertise the post but they can apply and are guaranteed to be considered- does not sound like that is what this is about as the job went to advert.

Not saying there is anything wrong with the OP. Schools are strange places and if your face does not fit for whatever reason it does not fit. Many teachers are much happier in one school than another. I know schools where I could not work and where they would not want me - just would not fit into their culture.

wtffgs I did not use advert as a verb. The verb was 'to go' - past tense as in 'went' and present tense as 'go'; but do feel smug by trying to score cheap points if it makes you feel better.

Your LA sounds very different from the OPs (and certainly from the experience I have of recruiting, albeit in the NHS) - which is why your previous post was so unfair.

The more I read your post the more impressed I was by your measured post.Best of luck to you-you deserve better

Your last sentence op wax very brave-keep your chin up xx

Was