Are you allowed time to think?

[ForOliveShaker]

When offered a role. Is it acceptable to have time to think or are schools expecting a response on the spot? Also, if you feel you haven’t been able to see enough of the school is it acceptable to organise a shadowing day?

We did this once, we had someone who said they were a firm candidate, took the role, shadowed for a day and decided they didn’t want the role anymore.

We didn’t think too fondly of them and I know head teachers talk, is this a bad idea? I just want to know if having asked for extra time to think, since yesterday was a bad idea. I’ve been given until tomorrow morning.

I think it will depend on the context of each school / Headteacher / the vacancy. Generally, I do think Heads prefer an answer asap.

Have you been offered a 2nd i/c / HOD role already? That was speedy work, OP. Well done.

Asking for 24 hours to respond to an offer - generally tolerated, although the culture within education is that a same-day (or instant) response is strongly preferred. Education is unusual in having three hard resignation deadlines and timelines are really tight.

Accepting a verbal offer and then reneging on it after a day of shadowing is seriously poor form, however. The onus is on the candidate to arrange a visit and do their research before the interview.

If you've answered "are you still a firm candidate" with "yes", asking then for more time to think about it is unusual.

yes I got the offer this morning. I took the offer. They called me 3 times and I couldn’t get to the phone so I think they wanted an answer. It’s a nerve wracking decision I get anxious over most choices I make.

You are clearly an outstanding flawless teacher, OP, in great demand by schools.

When do you start your new post, OP? Lucky school to have you.

I’m neither of those two things. I’m just confident in what I do and have had some really supportive people help me with the interview process. It’s been a journey and I always feel apprehensive with a new start. It turns my stomach to think about it. It was an ASAP start so it’s after half term.

You're being allowed out of your contract early? Wow. My head would not permit that!

Start after half term, really? And in a different school?

Something smells fishy here. I'd say no.

Ive requested a shadowing day. They’ve agreed. I’d assume if there was something amiss they’d refuse? I’m a bit torn even still. I’m usually hesitant with any asap start.

I spoke about it at length with my HT today.

And what did your HT say? I would have thought it would be quite a problem to lose one third of a core dept with only a few weeks' notice....

A few days more like!
We've just had a resignation for January and we're stuck because we won't be able to get anyone with experience now, with only 3 teaching days to go before the deadline. The head absolutely would not let them go early, because we need them too much.

There is just no way this is true. Pull the other one.

Yes, a few days - barely any time to say goodbye to all the pupils and classes OP has dedicated themselves to so tirelessly, including lunch times and after school interventions.

Won't somebody think of the children.....

I’ll send you the contract via dm if you want. Bear with me.

I have bills to pay too? I have been at this school for a very long time and built the foundations of my career here. I’m not “not thinking about them” so let’s not start reaching.

I’ve been here years. Why is this such a dramatic performance. I’ve found a role I want. End of. Why must Mumsnet make things so convoluted. It’s done. I’ve accepted it. End of story at this point. The post is now completely redundant.

You've been there 3 years.
That is not a very long time.

Unless you work in a bizarre MAT with extremely unusual resignation T&Cs, then your story is waffle.

As you would expect. Not happy, but, I spoke to my previous pgce trainee who is desperate for a job and would love to come back and I explained that to my HT. So I believe that’s now a consideration. They were not happy though. No.

A very long time? You've been teaching 4 years!!!

And that’s virtually where I started🤷‍♀️so in the grand scheme. That’s a long time.

Where are you that a PGCE English trainee can't get a job?

More and more waffle.

And a contract on the day you accepted the job. Impressive.