What would you do? My partner is an RQT, and for the last 10 months he has been on a mat leave cover post direct through a school. He interviewed for a longer term job there back in March when he had only physically been in the school 2 weeks (lockdown!) and wasn't offered the job (5 internal applicants, 2 jobs, but then magicked up a 3rd job with catch up funds, so employed 3 out of the 5 applicants). He hated it initially especially when he didn't get the job, but by the time May came round, he fell in love with teaching again and all was well. He is well liked, and the head has made it clear if there was a job there, they would want to keep him. He would love to stay there. His last day there is tomorrow.
Roll on to the future, he has a new job to start next Monday as a mat leave cover direct with a new school again.
The problem is that last night his head rang him. She explained a predicament that had occurred. So as to maintain confidentiality, I won't explain why, but he was offered a year long contact to stay. He has to make a decision tonight.
What would you have done? Kept your word and honored the job you had accepted? Or stayed at a school you were happy with?
Some things that he has considered are long term prospects. New school may have slightly more potential for permanent (which is what he wants). But he won't know that for sure until he goes there. There is potential for perm at his current school, but there are 2 other teachers on temp contracts, and only 2 jobs... so he would be a 3rd person applying for the 2 jobs. It is a really hard one to call though.
Both schools locations are good, the new one is slightly nearer, but as he has to travel further away to collect his child from her mother's, this isn't of concern.
His current school would be teaching his class from last year, so going to something he knows. He taught them in yr 2, so this would be a y3 job. New school is a y5 class that have had lots of change, and are considered difficult. It is a 1.5 form entry, and his yr 5 are the middle and lower ability. All highers are in the yr 5/6 class.
There's loads more we have talked through, but I'd be here all day! He even asked my mother (recently retired primary head, and she was his head from his training 🙈) for her wisdom, and she couldn't help him come to a decision!
We've both barely slept last night trying to come to a decision. If one was a permanent job he would take it, but both are 1 year contracts, making it impossible to decide. He tells me his morals are making him feel he needs to go to the job he has accepted. But I can see his heart wants to stay where he is. He is such a lovely person, and always puts himself last. I suspect if he wasn't, he would be chosing to stay at his new school.
Can anyone offer any pearls of wisdom?