Rejected for a job from my child’s school

[Girlymiddleagedmum]

Bit of a curious one and I wondered if anyone else has had a similar experience. I’m a trained primary teacher and I’ve been working as a supply TA since June 2025 across a few local schools. I’ve had good feedback everywhere I’ve been, especially around SEND support. I’ve also done quite a bit of CPD on neurodiversity (autism, ADHD, inclusive practice etc.), and I volunteer at my daughter’s school for forest school too. So I’m known and have good relationships with them. On the PTA. I also work as an exam invigilator at the local high school.
There were three LSA roles advertised at my daughter’s school recently and didn’t get shortlisted for any of them. The feedback I got was very generic — nothing specific or useful. A good friend of mine, who’s an ex‑teacher and SENCO, helped me with my statement and she was genuinely shocked I didn’t even get an interview.
A few people have said it might be because I’m a parent at the school and they don’t want any more parents working there — they already have two. No idea if that’s true, but it does seem to be something people mention.
Just wondering if anyone else has found their child’s school harder to get into job‑wise than other schools. Is it just one of those things?

We don’t have a problem hiring parents at my school-we only wouldn’t if they have been a pain!

Could it be because you’re over qualified for an LSA as you’re actually a qualified teacher? They will wonder why you aren’t applying for teacher roles, might think you’re desperate for any job currently but will leave for a qualified position as soon as you can.

It could just be that they had a huge amount of applicants and some with more experience got through. I can see why it’s disappointing though, the job market is tough at the minute

Hmm that's quite unusual I think if that is their policy. I have worked in a few schools and have interviewed parents for support roles before. There has never been an issue with hiring parents at primary or secondary.

Could it be that they are hiring internally? Possibly a midday supervisor who is moving into classroom?

I am also surprised given you are a qualified teacher that they didn't interview you. A few TAs and LSAs I have worked with have been qualified teachers.

It's impossible to answer as you don't know the field of applicants for these jobs. Just as an example, I've worked in a particular local authority education role for 8 years, a role one grade higher became vacant, they had 15 applications and interviewed 4, I wasn't shortlisted and they gave the role to an ex headteacher with no experience of the role.
The way that applications are sifted now means that miss out certain 'buzz' words that score higher when they sift applications and they score you low on their criteria and you don't get shortlisted. It can also be down to preferences and the type of experience they are looking for not matching yours for whatever reason so again it doesn't tick the right boxes.

Maybe they don't want trained teachers in an LSA role.

I too think it's most likely because you are overqualified.

My mum applied for a job at my school when I was in my teens. My sister and I begged and begged her not to do it because we were bullied anyway and we knew this would make it ten times worse. She applied anyway.

She didn't get it, it went to the deputy headmaster's sister 😂

I wondered (years and years later) if perhaps someone on the hiring panel had spared a thought for my sister and me and realised it would exacerbate an already bad situation.

I will add that my mum found a different job not long after and it went really well, she actually worked beyond her retirement age (60 in those days) because she enjoyed it so much, so it worked out OK for her in the end.

Every LSA at my school is a qualified teacher. Last time we had an LSA job going we didn’t interview anyone who had less than 5 years experience as a teacher. It’s a very competitive playing field!

This should be ringing alarm bells for us as a country.
In what other field are people feeling forced to leave and take a job in the same environment for less than half the pay?
Teaching is unsustainable.

I'm a qualified teacher and didn't get a TA role at my kids school. Though I found out later it actually went to someone who had already volunteered there for a year. I've now been working as a TA for 5 years at a different school but starting to consider going back into teaching but it's not proving easy either.

Im secondary and at one point when we still actually had LSA’s etc every single one was a qualified and experienced teacher.

If you're overqualified, maybe the prefer someone less qualified who they can pay less?

Not teaching but i applied for admin in a local nursery. I have about 13y admin experience 4 alevels 11 gcse and a degree. And didnt get an interview.
The whole process of getting jobs in uk is ridiculous no wonder theres so many crap people in jobs.

It could also be an age thing are you 40+

This. You're a teacher. You should have your own class, get to lead and make decisions. Why don't you apply for real teaching jobs?

You are overqualified and you are a valuable volunteer they probably don't want to lose.

I know a few work places that operate like this.... people volunteer in the hope that they get permanent employment. Sometimes they just can't afford to lose the volunteer for a multitude of reasons. They get an interview and then are told that another candidate was a better fit for the position.

That happened to a friend. The job went to the Head Teacher's wife's best friend, much less experienced and qualified. 🙄

it is most likely that hundreds of people applied for this job. No professional qualifications required term time only job is going to be popular.

It's possible that they felt that with your experience and qualifications, you might inadvertently take a teacher's stance within the classroom, which would undermine the standing of the teacher. It's very hard to take a back seat if you have experience at a higher level, even if intentions are good.

Forgot to say… in many places I have worked the volunteers never get upgraded to ‘employee’. They work for free

Do you have experience as an LSA? Maybe they went with the person most suited to the role.

As a school governor who is part of our hiring committee, it is really easy to spot the applications that have been coached. So maybe your statement didnt come across well.

Equally an LSA is lower paid. They will be looking for stability for the school and the kids so perhaps they felt like you woukd be moving on when a teaching position became available.

Without seeing your application it is impossible to know.

It could be worse - a teacher at dd’s school was essentially fired and her poor child had to continue to the end of the year😬….
Sometimes they already have people n mind for the position, or maybe you’re overqualified….

Maybe it’s just simply that whilst you feel well qualified for the roles the people who were successful were better qualified?

Maybe you have too much experience so they could pay another person less. Us if you already volunteer there they didn't want to lose you as a volunteer.