After over 100 applications, I took a charity job

Seeking teaching posts is exhausting and time consuming. I have completed over 100 applications and attended many of interviews across 6 local authorities. The interviews have often felt like a farce. In some instances, schools have already known which internal candidate they will use for the post and have simply advertised because they have to which is a waste of everybody’s time.

The scoring system for interviews is too rigid and a complete guessing game. One head gave me feedback and said that I hadn’t mentioned assessment in an answer. I pushed back, politely, and said I had given examples in question 1 and she said, “Oh we can’t count that because it wasn’t given as an answer for question 3”. So, each interview you have to guess when to use the exact buzz words and phrases to score the most points. And it changes across local authorities.

The reasons for me not getting a role have been laughable. I have been criticised for not starting an interview with an outline of my career to date (is this not what the application form is for?) and then at the next interview when I did this, I was told to basically get to the point and answer the question!!

I have had such great feedback from interviews, “we know the kids would love you”, “you’re clearly professional and very experienced” etc. But, always, we are going with someone else.

I’ve asked, during feedback, what should I do differently? And nothing concrete has ever been said. One head told me, in a school I was doing supply in, that HR just process the applications. He only gets a shortlist.

How is HR the right dept to choose what might be the best fit for that school? Apart from seeing that I’m not the cheapest option? Do they compare applicants with all school improvement plans? Of course not. But a head would see something that would bring value and may well choose a very different list of candidates to interview.

I qualified in Scotland, taught for a few years and then taught in England for a few years before moving back to Scotland. One head told me that my experience in England worked against me. Despite my taking on leadership roles, embracing new curricula and schemes of work during that time. Many other industries would see time taken to do the role in a different environment as a positive!

One of the biggest difficulties in applying for teaching work now is my lack of a reference. Some local authorities require a head’s reference up front, with the application. I have missed deadlines because a head hasn’t sent it through on time and, due to the many supply contracts I have done, it is now years since I was in a school long enough for a head to see me teach and to actually be able and willing to complete a reference.

I spent 4 years on supply and the longest contract I had was an 8 month maternity cover.

I have a family and a mortgage. I couldn’t cope with the lack of security and the few hours here and there each month. I, therefore, have taken a job working for a charity, a £20000 pay cut and applied for Universal Credit. I am qualified, experienced and willing to work in a number of local authorities yet find myself in my 40s applying for UC and wondering what I can sell on eBay this month to make ends meet.

Why are we still training teachers and promising them a year of permanent work when there are literally thousands of trained teachers on zero hour contracts praying for the phone to ring?

I see the damage this revolving door of teachers is doing in my daughter’s school. Constantly new faces, not just one each year but up to 3 every year because they are probationers and have to have a placement. Where is the staff loyalty to a school? The longevity of staff and pupil relationships if, every 9 months, you’re replacing a bunch of them and sending them to the supply list of doom?