Please help!! Career crisis - should I accept this offer??

[tiredcat]

I'm a PGCE student and I went for my first ever interview recently and got offered the job! It's an independent day school - respected locally but not a big name nationally. I got a good impression during my interview, but the school doesn't fit what I'm looking for exactly: not many pupils study my subject, they have barely any uptake for A Level, and it's in a very expensive part of London! But it seems ridiculous to decline the offer when I have no idea whether I could get another... I have submitted six other applications to schools that all look great and I have another interview scheduled for next week at a big, impressive boarding school... but the deadline for me to confirm whether I want to accept my offer is tomorrow at midday! If any experienced teachers are reading this, please help me decide what to do because I'm going crazy!

what decision did you make OP?

I would have gone for it - even if you just do it for a year if you didn’t like it.

I hope you took it?! Sounded good!

@MN2025 @CeciliaMars I accepted but I'm now terrified I have made the wrong decision.... there were a few potential red flags but I'm not sure how worried I should be? I didn't meet the HOD who is going to be my mentor; the Head was extremely keen for me to accept and offered to start my contract in July instead of September; the Deputy Head mentioned that they had recruited a few ECTs for next year; lots of staff seem to be young/in their 20s (some are even younger than me!)... should I panic and back out? I'm tempted

I think take it and see what happens. Boarding schools can be take over your life - is that what you want at your age? No school is perfect. At least you'll have a few other young people in the same boat as you! Good luck x

Are they in the TPS?

@defoneedanamechange No, but they have their own defined contribution scheme...