school job references

[MegGriffin]

If you apply for a job in a school (TA) the application form says references will be taken up if you are selected for interview. I obviously don't want my currrent boss to know I am looking elsewhere, especially as I probably won't get the job. One of my refs have to be current employer so I'm not sure how to play this one. Has anyone else been in the same position?

It's quite a common scenario and frankly a pain. Do you have a senior colleague who is not your line manager who you could approach?

Schools always take up references before interview so you'll come up against this a lot. You just have to bite the bullet and tell them. Why don't you want your boss to know you're looking?

Forgot to say that most schools appoint on the day of interview which is why they like the references beforehand.

Thanks for your replies . It's not the end of the world if she knows, but I imagine it will cause unease as it will be hard to go back to normal knowing that I really want to move on.

We are a small setting and I am the deputy so no other colleague to ask. The only alternative is another colleague who was my manager for 6 years but stood down recently due to wanting to decrease her work load. She still works with me but now at a lower level. I am going to put her as my second reference as they want my current employer as my first so I assume that has to be my manager?

There is somewhere on the form to say I want them to tell me before approaching my referee so at least I have some warning. I don't want to tell/ask her yet as I may not even get offered an interview.

People move on all the time, I would just word it in terms of wanting a new challenge, different role etc, rather than saying that you don't want to work there any more!