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Original poster

Will I lose this school job offer?

127 replies

Astrid28 · 10/06/2015 15:06

I feel absolutely sick.

I applied for and have been offered a job in a school (support role). I have current experience of working in a very similar capacity and have additional related qualifications and excellent references. I also passed the literacy and numeracy tests required. It's my absolute ideal job.

I have taken in all my paperwork for the relevant DBS checks and needed to also provide GCSE result proof which I have just searched my mums loft for and found.

I stupidly applied with guessed grades in order to make the application deadline as and my maths grade was in fact a D, not a C as required. My English grade is fine.

I've arranged to bring the documents in tomorrow and now I'm convinced the offer will be withdrawn.

Is there any way this will be viewed sympathetically or should I accept that my stupidity has cost me the job?

Please be gentle with me. I can't explain how gutted I am.

OP posts:
alreadytaken · 10/06/2015 17:46

@lem73 I dont think the OP did say a grade C was required. It may be, in which case the offer should probably be withdrawn to be fair to other candidates. However if it's just passes in English and Maths and at least 5 A-C grades then they may let the offer stand.

Jacksonyellow · 10/06/2015 17:48

What did the person spec say? Did it ask for grade c in Maths?

Duckdeamon · 10/06/2015 17:54

Even if the spec didn't specify a C in English and maths (which would be surprising) the selection panel might have sifted other candidates out because of maths grades below a D, and if so it'd be unfair to those candidates to give OP the job.

Of course other candidates wouldn't know the reason why they were rejected and would be unlikely to find out unless someone on the panel blabbed! So a lot might come down to the recruiters' personal views.

OnlyLovers · 10/06/2015 18:00

Chaise and others, stop giving her a hard time. She made a genuine mistake and is looking for ways to sort it out.

LIZS's idea is brilliant. Solutions.

Shakey1500 · 10/06/2015 18:03

I'm 45 and can't remember my grades. Yes, really Smile

LoveTheWets · 10/06/2015 18:05

I'm amazed that they (a) advertise TA jobs (b) insist on qualifications. At DS's primary school they recruit TAs from the dinner lady pool!

Mangolimes · 10/06/2015 18:09

If it helps, I have NO GCSE certificates, or A level certificates for that matter - didn't pick them up. No ones ever asked for them!

YonicScrewdriver · 10/06/2015 18:10

op hasn't stated it's a TA job,

She's owning up anyway to what sounds like a mistake. Good luck OP.

Losingmyreligion · 10/06/2015 18:19

I'm a school admin and suggest you phone before you go in. If you didn't I'd feel you hadn't contacted the school as soon as you realised your mistake which would make me suspicious. You should have put a message in to the administrator as soon as but you can still phone her before you go in. I would have to check with the Headteacher and/or HR whether the D was ok.

lem73 · 10/06/2015 18:36

The Op said my Maths grade was a D, not a C, as required. I would interpret this to mean the job description asked for a C grade. Job adverts for TAs in our local authority always ask for C grades in Maths and English.

Original poster
Astrid28 · 10/06/2015 20:21

Losingmyreligion, I will do, Thankyou.

I've just been trying to process it all really. I can't explain how perfect this job was for me.

I'm going to email over this evening ready for when admin are in tomorrow.

Should I speak directly to admin or ask to speak to the department head who held my interview? That's what I was planning to do, but I don't know what's best.

OP posts:
LoveTheWets · 10/06/2015 21:54

I would speak to HoD. You can explain your mistake personally rather than have the administrator pass the message on and put her spin on things

Remember how well you must have come across at interview. Try and be calm about it - you haven't committed a crime!

Notso · 10/06/2015 22:00

HeresMyBrightIdea thanks. I might have to look into that. DH has been telling me for years I won't need them but obviously that's just his industry.

Wantsunshine · 10/06/2015 22:06

No idea what grades I got at GCSE and never been asked. I just checked my CV and haven't put an education section on there!

bloodyteenagers · 10/06/2015 22:29

Op just go in and be honest.
When I started at my current job, I put my grades down. Back then no cents were required (they fucked up). I put down what I had recalled, and I had never seen my certs (whole different thread that would belong on stately homes). I had got my results over the phone many years ago. Good for some of you that recall everything from over 20 years ago, not everyone has a fab memory for a mountain of reasons.

No one mentioned the certs until a few years ago in a panic. I couldn't even proof if I had a U or an A. I looked at getting the originals, but you need to know the board. God it's a minefield, loads of boards and not all around now, and other merged into others. You cannot find out if you have a cert with them until you send them cash. The school no longer exists and the LA don't know where any of the records went. I was so getting fired when I had the official meeting. The only thing that saved me was suggesting the equivelency.

Call learn direct or whatever they are called, you can book a test, doing it that way you have to pay, but come the end of term you will have the cert. Try and get the test booked before you have the meeting so you can say you made an error, you really believed it was a C. It wasn't until you dug them out from the loft that you noticed it was a D. You know how bad it looks, you are really sorry for the mistake you have made, and that you have a test booked on x date for the equivelency. On the day of the test, you should get a read out with a pass or fail and the answer (check when you book they still do this) and until the cert arrives would they accept this? Obviously you understand if the position is no longer available.... They might accept, and just delve further and ask for additional references.

Original poster
Astrid28 · 11/06/2015 00:35

I've sent an email to the administrator explaining the situation. I also found a third English A grade that I'd forgotten about so I mentioned that as well.

In short, I apologised sincerely and said that in light of this I'll now be undertaking the maths equivalent course (I've enquired and there are evening courses running near me I'm waiting to hear back if these continue over the summer as I want to start as soon as I can) and that I hope that my current experience and more recent vocational courses would still act in my favour. So now to wait and see.

I know I'm the one at fault and fully understand they may not even be able to give me chance or even want to, so I'm not hopeful, but I've met it head on which is all I can do at this point and can only hope they see from the interview that I have so much to offer.

If by some miracle I get through this, I'd make sure they never regret their decision that's for certain.

OP posts:
StupidBloodyKindle · 11/06/2015 00:45

I am in my forties but did seven O levels and GCSEs in two subjects, one of which was an E. If that counts as a pass then I will stop deleting it from my total but for me, it was a fail. Teaching and support usually require minimum C in both English and Maths. Shamrock Good luck OP.

StupidBloodyKindle · 11/06/2015 00:47

I think it totally depends on whether they think you lied to them rather than the grades themselves, but it might also be a legal tick box. Hope you get the job regardless.

Original poster
Astrid28 · 11/06/2015 14:09

Well, they got in touch and said unfortunately they can no longer offer me the position because they do need A-C passes in both subjects, but they were really nice about it and said that I really should consider retaking my maths as suggested as my interview had been successful.

I have been looking into it since yesterday, so am going to enrol for September. This experience has certainly shown me that I definitely want a TA job and am capable of getting one. I also have the added first hand experience of how crap it feels when 25 years later, it still really does matter how much you study when you're 16.

Thanks to all for your words of encouragement and sense. I have been a fool, but am walking away a little wiser thanks to you all, and some lovely friends and family today.

OP posts:
CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 11/06/2015 14:10

Sorry to hear that OP - good luck FlowersWine

Shakey1500 · 11/06/2015 14:24

Oh that sucks. Rules are rules I know but, that's a real shame Sad

Original poster
Astrid28 · 11/06/2015 14:34

It is. I have so much else to offer and have a youth work qualification and other relevant courses. But I appreciate they have to maintain standards.

It's a learning curve.....my kids will benefit from this one when its their GCSE time!

OP posts:
wannabestressfree · 11/06/2015 14:36

Astrid that's such a shame :( was really rooting for you....

ReallyTired · 11/06/2015 14:37

I am sorry to hear that the job offer was withdrawn. I wish you the best of luck with your maths course.

BitOutOfPractice · 11/06/2015 14:40

Oh what a damn shame Astrid. I'm gutted for you Thanks

Really impressed with how you're taking it. And good luck with your studies