Job offer

[1stMrsF]

I went for a job in another school in the same group. I currently work time time plus a few weeks (40 weeks in total) and the job was advertised as all year round. I wasn't sure about that, but I have a good support network for childcare so all year round is possible plus I recognise that to make progress in my career I will probably eventually have to worn year round. Making a flexible working request once in and with full understanding of the job is also an option, so for the right job, it's worth the gamble.

They rang me on Thursday and offered me the job, and said they would like to explore the option of working 42 weeks and would I be interested. This made the job very attractive and totally overcame any other misgivings. I assumed that either I was too expensive, or they recognised I would prefer a reduced week contract as attractive (or both) and deduced that I must be a desirable candidate. They sent me a written offer (email) stating approximately 42 weeks but with the caveat that the flexible working pattern needed to be explored and agreed.

I let my current employer know I intended to accept (pretty standard in education especially within the same group) and also my direct report and my children (who are at the new school) They were really excited about me being at their school.

On Friday I emailed back saying I was thrilled to accept assuming we could reach an agreement on contract details and asking further details about working from home during school holidays etc. The HR manager responded at 8.09pm asking if she could discuss it with me on the phone that evening but I did not pick this up until 9.50pm. I responded saying call me anytime on the weekend. She called today at 2.38pm and I missed the call by seconds. I immediately emailed to say call me anytime. I then waited around all afternoon until she called at 7.15pm to say that they rescinded the offer of 42 weeks and would still like to offer me the job all year round. I said this was very disappointing and they said they had always said the role was all year round and there was no intention to dupe me, they'd leave it with me and call on Monday to se what I was thinking.
WWYD?

Very frustrating - it sounds like they’ve overpromised but if they put a caveat suggesting 42 weeks may not be possible then I suppose there’s not much you can do.

If you still want it, accept but I would personally want to avoid starting on the wrong foot like this. You can probably style it out at your old school/colleagues/kids - I would just be honest, say that you were not offered the contract you expected so had to turn them down.

Thanks for the empathy. I agree they covered themselves just enough but it's very frustrating. Thanks for the suggestions for how to approach it with those I'd already told, that's really helpful.

By group do you mean academy trust?

All year round would be working 44 weeks/52?
Does that come with term time leave entitlement?

They were really excited about me being at their school. Did the person doing the recruitment know they were at the school?

Is it an SBM?

It's a non teaching role in an independent school.

Year round would be 52 weeks with 25 days holiday plus bank holidays - a regular full time contract.

42 weeks would be term time (35 weeks) plus 5 inset days plus 5 weeks working during school holidays.

Yes, they are aware that my children are at the school.