Should I even bother applying for this HoD job -poor results at current school

[theduchessstill]

I am Hod of a major department - was promoted this year after 'acting up' for some considerable time due to long term sickness. I am so unhappy it's not funny. I don't want to go into details, but I love teaching (even still), I love my department and I love most of the kids, but the school is so poorly run it's becoming unbearable. Behaviour is awful and deteriorating all the time and results look set to be even worse this year than they were last (they were appalling). Leadership is weak to non-existent whatever I and others in similar roles try to implement has no impact or never gets off the ground because there are no structures from above to support them.

I have seen a job at another school that would be perfect for me and desperately want to apply. However, on paper (and the online comparison tool obviously) I look shit. Not the worst in the school, but not bucking the trend either. The new school looks a lot better than my current one overall, but the department is a lot worse then the school as a whole, unlike my current situation. That actually excites me as I think coming in as an outsider to a successful department would be awkward, and I know I have improved my current department hugely, but the P8 doesn't currently reflect that.

Will they look me up and write me off, or is it worth a shot? I don't really want the conversation with my head if my application is destined for the bin...

I

Bob?

Only kidding. Go for it. You don't have to have a conversation with anyone.

How can they look you up?? What is this online comparison tool? You have activated a new level of paranoia I didn't even know I needed to have!!

I know no Bobs .

Thing is, there does have to be a conversation doesn't there as I'd have to tell the head before applying. I think I'd be made to feel guilty and then there's the humiliation when I don't get it...

The government tool for comparing schools - obviously they can't look us up by name, but can see the P8 of your subject and, especially as Hod, that can be seen as a reflection of you - well, it is by my head as I've seen him look up departments classroom teachers are coming from. I assumed it was standard practice.

Have you never applied for a job before? It's not humiliating to not get appointed : it's quite normal!

I have been applying for jobs for 15 years : I don't even often get shortlisted. Now that's a bit humiliating! But , once I get to interview, it feels like an achievement and will make your current school think twice about how permanent you might be.

Frankly, I think you're placing too much store in what your Head thinks. He/she sounds shit. You're under no obligation to tell them beforehand that you're applying, only if you get an interview, and even then you don't have to discuss it, just request the time unpaid.

duchess I have never heard of a head doing that. They would apply some local knowledge which can advantage certain teachers but I have never heard of them making an effort to look stuff up!! And you are not the results of your whole department!!

My head shows so little interest in me that I rejected a job a few weeks ago and he still hasn't asked me whether I got it or not!!!

My head shows so little interest in me that I rejected a job a few weeks ago and he still hasn't asked me whether I got it or not!!!

Thanks both - I do need a different attitude to things, I think or I'llbe stuck forever. Piggy I must say, sitting there with him looking up departments when we have just one of six or seven teachers on interview never seems like a good plan to me, but he seems to set great store by it. And of course I'm not the results of my whole department - didn't mean to imply I think I am!