When should I ask if my contract is being renewed?

[mayathebee]

I'm an NQT in a lovely school (secondary) but I'm only on a 1 year contract. Our PGCE students were discussing job applications today and it occurred to me that if my contract isn't going to be renewed then I probably need to start job hunting after Easter since there will be fewer jobs once we get to summer. February seems a bit early to be asking about next year but I don't want to leave it too late either. I'm not sure who to speak to or when the best time to ask is and I'd appreciate any advice. This is my first job in a school so I don't know when planning/timetabling happens.

Do you have an NQT mentor? Could they give you any idea?

Or do you have performance reviews with SLT?

Ask soon though because you want to beat the new graduates to the best jobs whilst you can.

Thanks Hopeful16. I do have an NQT mentor and because he is in the same department I see him most days but I don't have proper meetings, just a 5 min catch up between lessons which is usually about specific pupils. I will try to speak to him this week.

I don't have any performance reviews but one member of SLT is in my department and he is involved with timetabling so I could ask him next time I see him.

You should be having regular meetings with your mentor! And you should ask your HoD about your contract.

Thanks TheFallenMadonna, the mentoring side is a bit 'relaxed'. I've only had one observation (and I didn't get any written feedback) and I haven't had any formal NQT meetings. The other side is that the department are lovely and supportive - I get lots of help and advice, it's just done informally.

Are they doing all the right paperwork?

So far - I'm part time so I'm just coming to the end of my first full term so I'll need to push to make sure the paperwork is done.

If you have an extended NAT period it is all the more important you get the contract issue sorted.

I actually asked this question in the December of my nqt year and was told if I wanted to I could reapply but my contract would not be renewed automatically.

Thanks all, my NQT mentor is going to speak to the head for me next week as he needs to discuss staffing anyway. The option blocks are being looked at next week so they should have a rough idea of teaching hours by then. Fingers crossed they want to keep me.

Any news?

Not yet I'm afraid. Things have been a bit disrupted by the snow so I'm going to chase it up next week. We have a big review coming up at school so everyone's focus is on that and I'm hoping this doesn't get forgotten. I did check that my NQT paperwork was being completed and was assured it is in progress - I'll chase that again next week.

As I said before, the NQT support is a bit informal. If I was on a permanent contract I wouldn't worry but I am a little concerned that I have only been observed once (only by my NQT mentor) and I don't have any paperwork from that yet. I chat to my mentor in the staffroom but we don't have any meetings. My HOD seems happy. She has checked my books and data files and they are okay but she also hasn't seen me teach and there seems to be an assumption things are going well (not always true with my tricky classes which I have never been observed with but I'm assured it will come with time). I'm am a little worried that they will observe me towards the end of the year and wont be happy and it will be too late to do much.