School-admin-progression

[Glitterbells9]

Hello, landed my ideal job-school office doing admin whilst my boys are young!

Ive been there 6 months and I love it. I am part time (even better) only downside is, it is 20 mins away.

I am in a small school, with not much budget.

The office is understaffed, but runs well anyway.

Ive been asked if I am open to learn more (finance) which I am once Ive been there a year and can see & learn what occurs over the year.

I cant see me being paid more for learning more / taking on more responsibility.

Whilst I am there I am happy to do what ever in the time they pay me. I am super happy part time so I can get my boys from school each day.

My training appears it will be in house, hands on from the office manager.

I know my skills will be transferable, I may get a job closer to home one day, I could look at a full time role once my children are older.

I am wondering, If I would be within my rights to ask for ‘proper’ training ie something with a certificate I can take with me?

My manager is saying she can train me up for her job (goals) but Ive found out today, our attendance lead, did business management ofqual under the old head.

I would 100% guess she would want my managers role and would be qualified for it too. (Higher pay than her job)

It is not my managers choice who gets the job, we could be on our next head by that point. I dont want to stay 5+ years on a hope that I ‘may’ or may not get progression. My manager likely wants someone to stay put for her remaining time there by ‘dangling a carrot’

Is progression within a school office usual?

I am not going anywhere any time soon anyway, I am happy with my hours & job.

I am just not from this industry and want to know what to expect/plan for in the years to come.

Jobs in a school office are paid on a particular grade, you will generally go up one or two scales on that grade depending on performance each year. Promotion is not the norm you would have to apply for a vacant role or go through the process of apply/interview even if you were likely to get it.

CPD (continuing professional development) should be an option for office staff but it will depend on what budget is available and if there is some benefit to the school as well for you before they agreed to pay out for certified training.

Unfortunately schools budgets are very tight hence under staffed and quite often under paid school office staff and training budgets all being spent on the teachers.

20 mins really isn’t far to travel to work…you would be extremely lucky to get anything any closer. 😊

Thank you, I appreciate your response. No 20 mins isnt far, where I live we have 8 local primary or infant and juniors which are all within 5-10 mins drive, mainly under 10mins. Oh and 2 SEN schools.

But there were no part time roles at the time I was looking.

Not to say any would be right for me.

I do really like where I am, just gazing to the distant future. As we do! Xx