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Original poster

Saw son's job advertised and he does not know

45 replies

ellie1234 · 06/03/2017 11:33

My son has had a tough time recently and just got a small part time job teaching music as ppa cover in a primary school. He was asked for interview after an agency saw his on line profile.
He has never taught a class before so I was shocked he was offered the job with hardly any preparation.

He has had a few rocky lessons with discipline but he is now feeling confident and really enjoying it. He puts his heart and soul into the lesson plans and is wondering wether teaching might be the career for him.
Imagine my horror when I saw his job being advertised yesterday. He knows nothing about it. I don't know if this is legal? It possibly is? If it is legal it is still very unprofessional. He has had no warnings he is not performing well and I know if he sees the job advert he will wonder what is going on. Has the school and agency not thought of the consequences?

OP posts:
NapQueen · 06/03/2017 11:35

How long has been doing the job? If he is still in his 90 day probation they can say "sorry its not a good fit, bye". Less than 2 years there and he still can be moved on relatively easy.

Maybe they are expanding the department though and need an additional person?

Bluntness100 · 06/03/2017 11:38

Are you sure it's his job, that it's not additional resource? And are you sure he does not know?

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 06/03/2017 11:38

How do you know it's his job?

Is he actually an employee and what is his contract? You said they found him through an agency. Does he work for the agency or the school?

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 06/03/2017 11:40

If he's an agency worker and the job is advertised by the school it sounds like the school is making this a permanent arrangement. In which case he could apply like anyone else but would have the advantage that he knows the job and school.

NameChange30 · 06/03/2017 11:41

Maybe his contract is temporary and they've decided to appoint someone on a permanent contract. If that's the case then he could apply for the job.

Why are you assuming that it's to replace him? Confused

PotteringAlong · 06/03/2017 11:43

But it's not his job. He's an agency worker doing temporary cover. If he wants it as a permanent job he needs to apply like everyone else.

NanFlanders · 06/03/2017 11:44

If it's agency work, is it a temporary contract that the school is hoping to now fill permanently? If so, they may well be obliged to advertise openly to meet fair competition/equality and diversity criteria. If he is enjoying it and it's now going well, he should definitely apply.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 06/03/2017 11:44

Has the school and agency not thought of the consequences?

This suggests he does not have a contract with the school.

Original poster
ellie1234 · 06/03/2017 11:51

So I rang up the agency and pretended to be interested in the job. I asked when it started. They told me they were not sure, as they were not sure when the present holder was going....but he was going!

OP posts:
ILiveForNachos · 06/03/2017 11:56

You need to provide more details/ answer the questions above.

So far this could be a totally normal circumstance that you are getting worked up about for no reason.

Yes they should probably have told him they were going out to advert but based on your limited facts I'm not sure there is even a problem.....

Original poster
ellie1234 · 06/03/2017 11:56

Thanks for you replies. I am just really upset for my son

OP posts:
Original poster
ellie1234 · 06/03/2017 11:57

I do not know what type of contract my son has but it is most likely temporary.

OP posts:
Original poster
ellie1234 · 06/03/2017 11:59

If they were thinking of filling the post permanently surely the agency/school would have told him, to give him a chance to apply.

OP posts:
MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 06/03/2017 12:01

Erm, that's a bit weird. You rang up and pretended to be interested?? Shock

Surely more normal is to say "adult son, I saw this. Is everything ok?" and let your adult son deal with it. Like an adult.

BackforGood · 06/03/2017 12:11

Well, to most people it will be obvious. They have a temporary, agency person covering a role whilst they get the advert out for the permanent job. Very normal practice. If he wants the role, then show him the advert so he can apply alongside everyone else (if he is qualified? not clear if he has QTS ? Or if that is part of the job spec?)

Original poster
ellie1234 · 06/03/2017 12:13

Yeah I did talk to him about it and he is far more mature than me about it!

OP posts:
AnnieAnoniMouse · 06/03/2017 12:15

Maybe they're looking for someone with an actual teaching background.

If he wants the job permanently he should speak to the person he reports to & tell them how he's enjoyng it & that after a rocky start he feels he has the discipline sorted out & ask if he could be considered if they make the role permanent.

But if they are looking for a qualified teacher or even just someone with more experience in teaching music, your son really can't get too upset about it. The school have to do what's best for the children & experience counts.

Shame for him though 😕 But still, maybe he will now look into going into teaching & that's a good thing.

PotteringAlong · 06/03/2017 12:17

He might also be chronically bad and the school don't want to employ him. The beauty of supply teachers is that you can tell them you don't need them any more with no comeback. If he's not a qualified teacher and he's got the job with an agency this was not going to be permanent thing.

trulybadlydeeply · 06/03/2017 12:19

If he is in a temporary post, then if they wish to now employ someone permanently, they will need to advertise, and he will need to apply. If they don't they are on dodgy ground. He, of course, will be able to apply. I wouldn't expect the agency to know the details of the post, or who is in the temporary position. They probably just said he is going as they know it is fixed term, so he will be going from that post, IYSWIM. If it is a permanent contract he has, then it sounds like this may be an additional post. However

How do you know he knows nothing about it? He may just not have thought to tell you. He may also not have told you the full story about how the job is going. How do you know he hasn't had any warnings?

In your situation OP I would not mention that I had seen the job, and leave him to deal with it (whatever the reality is) but obviously be there for him should he choose to discuss it.

I hope it all works out for him.

Catherinebee85 · 06/03/2017 12:19

If they're haviing him through the agency its probably costing them a fortune. Just tell him and encourage him to apply for it. Also encourage him to speak to his employers about if there's anything else he could do to ensure they transfer him to a permanent contract.

daisychain01 · 06/03/2017 12:24

Please don't tell him to say after a rocky start ^he feels he has the discipline sorted out & ask if he could be considered if they make the role permanent*

That will immediately put him on the back foot.

More like a confident "I am really enjoying teaching the pupils, I'm seeing a lot of potential there and I'd like to become a permanent member of staff. Can I apply?"

NerrSnerr · 06/03/2017 12:31

If he wants the permanent position he needs to apply for it. He needs to own it though, and not have his mum ringing up and stuff, that's just very over invested and strange.

brasty · 06/03/2017 12:35

You sound way over invested in this. Your son may not have told you that he knows what is happening, because he is an adult who wants to deal with things himself.
Ringing up about the job was out of line. Mention it to your son, then leave it up to him whether he applies for it or not.

AnnieAnoniMouse · 06/03/2017 12:35

DaisyChain. He's already on the back foot. If he wasn't, they'd have asked him to apply for it. The school will know there were discipline issues, it's better to acknowledge the teething issues than pretend they didn't happen.

splendide · 06/03/2017 12:43

How long has been doing the job? If he is still in his 90 day probation they can say "sorry its not a good fit, bye". Less than 2 years there and he still can be moved on relatively easy.

There's no difference legally between the first 90 days and the rest of the two year period. Equally easy to sack either way.