Will I lose this school job offer?

[Astrid28]

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I've arranged to bring the documents in tomorrow and now I'm convinced the offer will be withdrawn.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

That's a shame how very short sighted of them to even be interested in something you did 25 years ago. I wonder what they do if someone is from another country and therefore did not take GCSE's.

I'm really surprised. You must live somewhere with very well qualified local mums! Very few of the TAs at our school have any GCSEs to speak of.

I'm sorry it didn't work out for you this time. To pp, I think an overseas educated candidate would be required to do a level 2 literacy/numeracy or functional skills course unless they had equivalent qualifications. These are free to over 19s who have not got C or above at GCSE or pass Level 2 in English and/or Maths. If you take a vocational college course they are often tested at the outset and support offered alongside.

Which is depressing

What rotten luck. And how very stupid it is that your exam grades even matter after this long. Loads of very able, enthusiastic people had an off day during a particular exam or whatever - unless you were actually applying to be a maths teacher I can't see any sensible reason for them withdrawing the offer.
I work in education, too (though not involved with teaching) and I said on my application form that I couldn't remember my O level grades or subjects and they didn't care as I had a degree.

That's a real shame OP.
But I bet they'll remember you, so get in touch with them the minute you pass your course and tell them you'd love to be interviewed for the next TA role that comes up. They'd be fools not to put you at the top of the I interview list.

Sorry to hear that OP.

Did you suggest the maths functional skills course? if foreign applicants are allowed to take it, it seems discriminatory that you can't.

I would have thought foreign applicant would have to have passed the equivalency at time of application. Which unfortunately the op hasn't.

So sorry OP, good to hear that you are turning it into a positive though - that's brilliant and much better than I would have been able to do!

I was looking for a happy update, sorry to hear that OP. Do apply next time, I bet they remember you!

I am sorry to hear that. Please remind yourself you got through the hard part. There is a lot of demand for these jobs and they picked you. When you get the qualification, please contact them again and remind them to keep you in mind for future vacancies.

I did. I sent an email last night and in it I said that in light of the Maths grade I would be taking a maths functional skills course to bring me up to the standard they require. But it wasn't enough.

I'm feeling better about it now, but it's probably because I was awake all night worrying and by 12 today (which was when she comes into the office) I just needed to know either way, so it's been a huge relief. Now I can get a plan, the right one this time, and move on from it.

I've also been talking to my friends and family throughout the day who have been so lovely and kind. My MIL drove round to give me a hug at 10pm last night because DH was working lates and I got upset on the phone. I'll never forget that.

Some good things have ended up coming out of this situation although at 3o'clock this morning I would never have believed that could be true.

Astrid you sound fab. I'm so sorry for you.

SGB you can't get into university without o level / GCSE maths and English. You have a degree ergo you must have an o level or GCSE in maths and English

I'm sorry to hear that. I know of at least two teacher assistants who didn't have Gcse Maths. One of my friends only did her Gcse maths last year as she had done a degree with the open university and done a teacher training on the job but needed her maths GCSE to qualify as a teacher. Another who was an excellent ta, was doing her maths GCSE at night school. It does sound like you would be excellent for the job. Good luck with your maths course.

Ah thanks xx I've just got to be positive. There's no way I can stay like I was yesterday and this morning, it was just awful.

I definitely want to do it. It'll be hard (I've been looking up the course content...) but how great would that be to have it all fresh in my mind and up to date? I think it would work in my favour.

I hadn't handed in my notice at my current job so can keep up my experience with that as its secondary school based.....all is not lost.

I feel that's really unfair, especially considering you passed the literacy and numerancy tests. I'm a TA, and lots of our TA's didn't have 'C' grade in Maths when employed. A few opted to do the GCSE last year, but those who didn't have been told they HAVE to do it. Seems unfair how the requirements can change depending on school/LA.

Best of luck with your studies OP. I'm sure you'll make a great TA when you get there :)

*haven't been told

Thankyou. I do hope so.

I don't think any school would be recruiting TAs now without maths and English grade c or above. The role has changed a great deal. Some schools require a degree

Op, did you go to college?
I did a GNVQ which included Numeracy level 3 city and guilds which is equivalent to GCSE grade A. The level 2 is equivalent to C. Worth checking?

I absolutely agree that TAs should have good qualifications but it seems odd that these aren't tested during the application process.
For example, I have a GCSE grade A in Maths but 20 years on my maths skills aren't great. I looked at a level 6 SAT test recently and there were some questions I struggled with, yet I would fit the parameters for the OPs job.

Better luck next time OP and I hope you find your dream job soon.

Bitout you don't need gsce's C and above in maths and English to go to uni. I know lots who haven't....

Learn direct.
Two options, pay and take a test straight away.
Enrol and do the course for free when you have time. no having to fit a college in.

Op I have three a levels, two degrees and a masters and I got turned down for a job once because I couldn't produce my GCSEs certificates, over twenty years after passing them, even though I had my alevel, degree and masters certificates they still wouldn't give me the job because I couldn't prove I'd passed my GCSEs!
I was gutted.
Six months later I was offered a much better job on much more money and ended up being really grateful that the previous job hadn't worked out. Hope your story goes that way too.

Onwards and upwards, OP!

I needed a GCSE in Maths, many years ago, and went to night school and did a years course. I only took the intermediate paper, so could only get a C, but that was all I needed. That course and exam was easier than doing a GCSE in the higher paper, where you could get an A, B or C.
Good luck