Can we have a thread on what to clarify before accepting a new post?

[Freeekedout]

As the resignation date is fast approaching, could we have a thread about crucial questions that need to be clarified before accepting a job offer? It would be really helpful to know what questions should be asked before it's too late.

Particularly interested in what to find out before joining an independent school or an academy after working in mainstream for years. Anything to look out for? What did you wish you'd known?

What is the best way to approach some of the difficult questions e.g. pay, working hours etc?

Good luck to everyone trying to secure a post for September

I was planning on asking a similar question. A couple of things I'd like to know but not sure if appropriate to ask in an interview are about the TA provision (one per class?) and about if/how planning is shared in schools larger than one form. Not sure if right kind of questions to ask in an interview though

"What's your approach to planning?" Is a fine question. As would be asking about schemes used, so long as that information isn't already freely available on the website.

How are TAs used in the school might be ok too, although be careful about expressing your reaction.

Asking about career progression and CPD always goes down well.

How much to ask does depend partly on how desperate you are to leave your current school.

Pay, I would say just be professional. If it's not clearly stated on the advert I would bring it up at interview, personally.

Working hours I think is very hard to clarify. You can ask maybe if there is an expectation to stay for after school events, but it's very hard to work out how much you will have to work outside the classroom. You could ask about work life balance, about shared schemes of work/shared planning and marking policy? Or maybe ask a current staff member what a typical day for them looks like?

For independents, ask about the time remission, it should be significantly lower than in state schools if you're going to make up for the time you'll have to put in outside the classroom for extra curriculars and academic clinics. Also make sure they're still in tps.

But on a side note, sorry I've always been in independents, what's this about planning? You do don't have to do all your own planning?

There are some great things to consider here, thank you.

EllieNBeeb I'm going for a chat with the Head of an independent prep later. They've had my application and I've already been for a tour. Is there anything else I should consider asking? This would be a promotion for me to senco and I've already established it's a non teaching role, but some work with small groups. TPS was on my last as well as pay (in crap at negotiating and senco slats seem to carry wildly). Is there anything else to watch out for?

*senco salaries, not slats!

Senco role - ask about how many EHCPs, will you be on SLT or equivalent, will there be a DSL element. If you don't already have NASENCo, will they fund you through? if so, when? (First year V second - there are good arguments for either option). What is the support network? Links with sencos in other schools?

TPS is the biggie. I have known independents to act shamefully by assuring candidates that teachers are in the TPS. What they don't disclose is that they are in the consultancy period to withdraw. Be very careful.

Thank you Solidaritea. I got the answers to most of those questions and I've just finished my NASENCO 😊

The school isn't part of the TPS. I have no idea about pensions or what this would mean for me. I'm at least 20 years from retirement though, so it's not something that is an immediate concern, just planning ahead! Presumably they would have an alternative scheme?

They will probably be in the Aviva APTIS scheme, then. It's Defined Contribution rather than Defined Benefit, so best thought of as a long term savings plan. You build up a 'pot' to buy an annuity with on retirement. There's no provision to retire early on ill-health grounds, and any surviving spouse would not get 50% of your pension until their own death.

Only you can decide whether working in an indie is worth accepting an inferior pension to the TPS.

Be careful about asking about deployment of TAs as it often puts HTs off as there is lots of research about effective deployment and the one per class argument is very out of date. Therefore it could make HTs think the teacher could be quite needy or overly rely on a TA.