Advice from a teacher please?

My wife is a PGCE student and has a job interview on Wednesday and on Thursday.

She is telling me that she may be offered the job on Wednesday and that if this happens she may be expected to make a decision on the same day, or it may be offered to the second choice candidate, and that whatever decision she makes is binding (by reputation if not by law). This would mean that she may be forced into making a decision, before she goes to the interview on Thursday and gets the opportunity so see if she likes the school or wants the job there.

I can't believe that she could essentially be in a position where she takes the first and only job she has been interviewed for (which is in a rough school), or risks being unemployed come September.

She says this is normal in the education sector and says that her University PGCE tutor has confirmed that's the way it is.

Any teachers on here that can give an opinion? Thanks

[Messie]

Yes this is normal practice in education I'm afraid to say. In some cases all candidates for a job get to sit in a room together until the lucky one gets called through and offered the job, which is just a nightmare!

She has a couple of choices. She could be upfront and tell them from the outset that she has another interview for the next day. This could either make them admire her honesty or think they'll not offer her the job becasue she'll go for the next one.
Or she could just not tell them. It is possible to accept a job verbally but then change your mind when given a better offer, before any contracts are signed. It's not good practice but I've known it done.

It sounds to me that this is an NQT job she's going for. If so, it's not at all unusual to be going for several jobs and interviews at once. The school won't be surprised ifshe is up front and tells them. Chances are some of the other candidates will be too. They may even ask her outright.
Overall my advice would be to be honest and tell them, and if she's lucky enough to be offered the job, tell them she'll give them the answer tomorrow. They should understand this and accept it, after all it's just one day.
Tell her very good luck from me!

Thanks for this Messie, I was hoping that you would see the thread. I've shown your reply to Sandrine and she says thanks v much for the advice and wishes and she is going to tell them in the morning. It is an NQT job she is going for.

I work in a commercial world and know that verbal acceptance of a job offer is not legally binding, until the candidate has signed contracts and put them in the post back to the employer, but if you search the web for this, all sites giving commercial employment advice (solicitors, etc) say that it isn't, and if you look at any education sector website they say that it is!

Putting someone in a position where they feel they have to accept a job they don't really want and may not be happy in, for fear of being unemployed, would be seriously frowned upon in the commercial sector. I guess if they are really pushing her to make a decision there and then and she is getting bad vibes about the school, she just needs to take the risk of not finding something else and turn it down.

Is there a different set of employment law for the education sector or is the legally binding thing just a myth?

[Messie]

With two interviews lined up already it seems to me she's in a good position already. Is it primary or secondary, if so what subject? This may make a little difference to how asking for a day's grace may go down in terms of how keen are the school's to fill the vacancy.
I'm not certain of the legalities of it all but I've not heard of the education sector having separate laws for themselves; maybe something to do with verbal contracts being legal in some way. But I certainly have known for someone to verbally accept a teaching job then change their mind a few days later.
In my experience most Heads would be pretty understanding about this especially given it's an NQT post and only a day extra is being asked for.

I congratulate your wife on getting 2 interviews to start with!!!!

At the end of the interview the panel should ask if you are still interested in the post - your wife by then may have changed her mind due to information she has gained in the interview process(I have done this before)
If she is offered the post it will be later on after the panel have deliberated who to offer - if anyone - the post to. Your wife can still decline at this point as she will have had time to reflect.
I work in a challenging school and although tough it is very rewarding and the wealth of experience gained has been phenominal. Students and temporary teachers who have worked for us have found this to and used it to further their careers and skills.

Good luck to your wife on her interviews - she will know instinctively if the school and job are right for her after during the interview process

Thanks littleperson!

Messie, she is doing Secondary Modern Foreign Languages (French and Spanish, she is French, but her mothers side of the family are of Spanish origin and has aunts, uncles, cousins, etc in Spain, so she speaks both fluently).

[Messie]

Wow,, she will be an asset to any MFL department then! There are not too many language teachers about so she's in a strong position. As LP also said, a challenging school can also be very rewarding. I also agree that she will be able to tell during the day (if they do it properly and show her around, give her a chance to chat with staff and students etc) whether the school is right for her or not.

All the very best. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks, will do.

Give Sandrine my best wishes for the interviews, hope all goes well for her

good luck to Sandrine, hope she gets the job she wants.