Who are your referees?

[EstebanTheMagnificent]

I am polishing my CV ready to start a new job hunt in the new year, and wondering who everyone has as their two referees? One will be my current headteacher, of course. Previously I’ve put my previous headteacher but he has seemingly moved twice since I worked for him and I now can’t track him down - and even if I could, it’s been nearly seven years since I worked for him as I didn’t return after mat leave. If it makes any difference I’m looking at Lead Prac / head of teaching school type roles.

Can you use a head of department or line manager at your current workplace?

Yes, line manager is an option (I’m currently a lead prac so my head of department doesn’t line manage me).

I’m just curious to see what is the norm these days. It’s six years since I was last actively looking for jobs and back then I was working in schools where people moved on quite quickly and so there was lots of discussion of vacancies, CVs, applications etc. My current school is the polar opposite and I’m one of the newcomers with six years’ service; it is the kind of place where people routinely stay for 15+ years and so I feel very out of the recruitment loop!

I also volunteer in a Youth organisation, in a 'managing volunteers' role, so I have used someone from that part of my life for the 2nd referee at times.

Current HT and your line manager should be fine. I work in an academy trust where the policy is to only provide one reference - I asked what if someone had only worked for that trust and got blank looks!

Yikes, @Hollyivywillow - has no-one in the MAT done safer recruitment training?!

I'm in a similar position OP...only in a small primary school, so my current head is really the only person here I can use! Unlike secondary schools, we don't have department heads etc. My last school closed down 5 years ago 🤷‍♀️ No idea where the now very much retired old head is. I'm struggling to be honest.