Notice period

[MegGriffin]

A job has come up that I would really love but the start date is the 4th January and if I was offered the position I would have to give six weeks/half a terms notice. It is a TA job in a school. Is it worth even applying? Also if you are offered an interview, they check references prior to this so I would have to tell my boss I am applying, even though I may not get an interview. Any advice please.

I would think that they would accept a past employer as reference at this stage - they would be unreasonable to expect a reference from your current employer before you have an offer. They must realise the difficult position that could put you in.