Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Flip

Original poster

I'm driving myself mental here! Help needed from teachers or other sympathetic bods

16 replies

Moomin · 11/05/2004 18:13

Hi.
Wrote a thread last week about a big decision I've come to, about changingnjobs even tho I'm ttc. Was all full of it last week and really felt good about the school I was applying to. The Head of Dept seemed very keen and said he wanted me to apply, etc.
Today I suddenly got a feeling of doom about it all and rang the school to ask when candidates would be informed as to whether they'd got an interview or not. The sec put me on hold for a while then came back and said they'd shortlisted and all candidates had been informed. I was a bit stumped and asked whether they'd been sent letters or been phoned but she didn't know this. I went all dumb then and said 'ok' and put the phone down. The closing date was Friday and things do happen very quickly with teaching jobs at this time of year, but am I right to think she'd have said something to me if I'd been shortlisted? She asked for my name so she must have known.
I'm not trying to be cocky but I thought I had a really good shout with this job. My current Head actually told me he thought they'd be mad not to employ me as I've got loads of experience, and I shaped my application around what I leanred about the school when I visited.
i KNOW I'm going to have to wait until tomorrow to see of the post comes, but they don't deliver until after I've gone out and I won't be home until 8 tomorrow night. Do you think it sounds negative? Be honest!

OP posts:

Original poster

Moomin · 11/05/2004 18:14

sorry for all the typos!

OP posts:

bundle · 11/05/2004 18:18

sounds a bit weird, she could have been honest with you. if they treat people like that would you want to be part of it??

Tommy · 11/05/2004 18:21

She may not have known, Moomin or maybe she'd been told not to tell people on the phone - sometimes school receptionists can be a bit cagey! (ther's a whole other thread on that somehwere!)Hang in there and good luck for tomorrow!

jampot · 11/05/2004 18:23

Good luck for tomorrow moomin - have a little glass of wine tonight and an early night and pretend you've got a doctor's appt in the morning and go in after the post has arrived!!!

SoupDragon · 11/05/2004 18:41

I don't think you can tell anything from a phone call. You may have given your name but you could, in reality, have been anyone. I doubt she would have given anything out over the phone and, if she didn't know how the applicants had been informed, then she may well not have known who they were either.

I think you're going to have to wait for the post!

michellefromlakeland · 11/05/2004 18:43

we shortlited within about4 days theother wek. they would perbably ask you to confirm by phone if oyu were attending hte interview - so if your letter went missing they would check

if you arent called ring and ask for tips why - htherea re often really good reasons that are nothing to do with oyu

Hulababy · 11/05/2004 19:00

Our governors have been taking about 4 or 5 days to shortlist recently. Good luck

Original poster

Moomin · 11/05/2004 20:15

Thanks. Yes it does all sound a bit funny. I've been imagining them reading through the applications on Friday then firing letters off on Monday, like no-one in a school's got anything better to do?! At my present school, we had a job application closing date of Friday and the letters have gone off today.
Feel a bit better now, anyway. Have been for my reflexology session since posting this 1st message and have decided that whatever will be will be...

Whether I'll be like this by tomorrow again, is another matter. Unformtunately I can't go in late as I'm on a course followed by a parents evening. If I don't get a letter tomorrow, I will ring the school on Thursday just to see why. I hope the secretary doesn't think I'm a stalker...

OP posts:

StripyMouse · 11/05/2004 21:39

Good Luck Moomin - hope you hear soon. I am a big believer in fate and that everything happens for a reason. Sounds like you really want this one so will keep my fingers crossed for you xx

sarochka · 11/05/2004 21:39

sometimes schools can be a bit weird about this. Thing is as far as I am aware they need people to do and stay in the job so should be more than encouraging. Our school sec is a real viper!!
Good luck and hope you hear either way - would it be a big change?

Tommy · 11/05/2004 22:13

Moomin - could you ask to be put through to the HoD - then secretary won't have anything to do with it?

Original poster

Moomin · 11/05/2004 23:00

Tommy - yes, if I don't hear then I'll ask for the HoD on Thursday when I ring up.
sarochka - yes, quite a big change. I've been at my present school for 7 years as 2nd in dept, acting HoD then p/t after having dd but still with +2 management points. I want a job much nearer to home. This is a bog standard teaching job which was advertised as full or part-time. Maybe I'm too expensive? They could get a f/t teacher with less experience for less than a p/t me!
Will keep you posted...

OP posts:

Original poster

Moomin · 14/05/2004 10:15

Bloody hell! I still hadn't heard by Weds night so I bit the bullet and rang the school Thursday, preparing myself to be told what an arse I'd made of my application. HoD came on the phone and basically said he hadn't received my application and had been wondering why!!!! I told him I'd put it in the outside postbox as school had been closed when I delivered it. He said he'd check, see the Head and ring me back...

He rang me a few hours later to say my application had still been in the post box: no one had checked it at all! He'd read it and showed it to the Head and they both said it was a good application (which is one weight off my mind - at least I got that right!) HOWEVER, the Head's been sorting out the timetable and has decided in his wisdom that he might now only have a full-time vacancy... therefore, they're interviewing 2 f/t candidates on Weds. If between now and then (or if they're both crap!) the timetable changes again, the HoD will give me a ring and ask me to come in. I'm a bit gutted, as I had my hopes raised and then dashed again - I get the feeling the p/t thing just won't work out this time. The HoD said that he was really sorry for messing me about but it was now out of his hands. He also said that he'd really like me to stay in touch in case another opportunity comes up....
I can't help think maybe the fact they didn't see my application with the others, steered the Head into thinking about f/t as a priority, even tho the HoD said the mix-up didn't have an effect on the situation. Oh well if it's meant to be, it'll happen. Just thought I'd update you...

OP posts:

sarochka · 16/05/2004 16:52

Thanks for the update. I am acting HOD at the moment - she out on maternity. Alright but our dept are a load of muppets. Driving me to distraction actually!! Shame about job but hopefully something else'll come. What do you teach?

Original poster

Moomin · 16/05/2004 23:50

English. I came to my present school as 2nd in dept then acted up as HoD when she became very ill. I was pg at the time so when she took early retirement I decided not to apply for HoD's job. In fact, when I came back from mat. leave, I told the head I wanted to go p/t (0.6) and not be 2nd in dept but they hadn't appointed HoD by then so he paid me same money to help the new 2nd in dept run the joint! I'm still on the same pay as 2nd in dept (+2 pro rata) but with different responsibilities. He's a good head! What do you do?

OP posts:

sarochka · 18/05/2004 22:14

Hi moomin been so busy...I am 2nd in MFL. I was HOD in a different school but after having dd ( now 2 and a bit) relocated to Kent for family stuff and got a 2nd. Like my job well enough but the dept are really driving me mad and I think I'm going to have to sit down with them for a chat!! Thing is there are 2 teachers who are in 2nd yr of job and are very weak, our school is difficult but not unmanageable. They are being unprofessional and slagging me off to other membs of dept whohave told me as they feel so uncomfortable....sorry going on a bit here but finding it hard. On a trip to Calais tomorrow so a bit of a repreive there!! How u doing?

Flip