When a colleague you don't really rate gets promoted

[SunshineThroughMyWindows]

Ufff. We've got a promoted post vacancy and a colleague has made it clear she's going to be going for it.

I'm in Scotland, it's a principal post, not sure what the English equivalent is- we have class teacher, principal, depute, head.

Colleague is a lovely person but struggles with behaviour management. She isn't firm enough and is quite naive at times. We were stage partners for a few years and I found it difficult. She was so disorganised and often left things to the last minute. She's also a bit Pinterest-y mad, and usually had to be gently reminded that it might be brilliant with three children but we're dealing with thirty three.

She's older than me but I've been teaching longer. I wouldn't go to her for advice and I disagree with most of her ideas.

I've never been in this position before. I'm definitely not going for promotion and I really love my job atm.

Is it a put up or ship out situation?

If she struggles with behaviour management and is disorganised, is she really likely to be appointed?

I don't know. I think she'll give a good interview and I was never sure if SMT were aware of the disorganisation as it was day-to-day things rather than termly plans or reports. For example, we were stage partners and she'd say, I'll do tomorrow's group 1 maths, if you do group 2, but it wouldn't be done until 8.55!

In that case if you don’t intend to apply yourself, it probably would be a put up or ship out situation yes. If your SMT are any good, they probably do have a reasonably accurate impression of her, but I’m aware that frequently in education there aren’t hundreds of outstanding candidates queuing up for vacancies, so it might happen.

Can see that it’ll be annoying if senior management rate her performance more highly than you do.

Not a teacher but was in a team for a few years where I didn’t rate a fair few of the new recruits at the level above me (I didn’t want to apply for the roles). My choices were to put up with it or leave, so I left.

It's annoying and frustrating if people who aren't that skilled get promoted posts but it happens in all lines of work. Some people have the gift of the gab.

It's a put up and shut up situation ultimately, but if her performance in a senior role ends up having a impact on you then it might be worth raising something.