Please please any advice.To think my NQT husband is not being supported

[Poppyscone]

My husband had worked TA for four years applied did his teaching qual last year and passed with flying colours. Impressed on placement and was really positive. He got a job in a school till Christmas which he was told my become permanent.

Since starting the school have told him hardly anything. He has had to ask about every single little thing right from where the paper is kept right through to big stuff such as getting information from the last class teacher about each class. When he started he was given a sentence about each child’s progress. He has had to find out through drip and drabs and asking the parents themselves. Even finding out from the parents serious medical issues he should have known about on the first day.
He can’t believe none of the children have SEN plans as he has identified needs that need addressing. Obviously he had not told me the reasons he things they should have the extra support or given me any names

He has been basically left to it and given no guidance. He had a mentor who he has had done one session with. He was given notice of a three hour induction training two hours before it was due to start dispute chasing this up knowing it must be happening.

Last week the head asked to see his planning and told him it was awful, he should be long termed planned fully up until Christmas and his plans as a NqT have to be better then the rest of the staff.

She then called his mentor in who told him not to worry he would provide support. The head said he planning has to be long and comprehensive.
Since then again dispite crying out for support he has had an example of planning from one teacher who had basically cut and pasted from an example plan the school use and nothing else. The head has passed this plan as brilliant without obviously reading it.

My husband can’t understand if the planning is that bad why no one has been in to see one of his lessons. No even a bit of one. He also has TA support only 2 afternoons a week and that is only for interventions.

Anyway he was given till Monday to improve his plans and has been working past midnight all this week. Anyway the head came to him today and had changed her mind and wanted to see them now. He had to present them and the head had a go at him for not them not being organised and said he was in danger of being failed already.

My husband came in crying and I just don’t know what to suggest. Anyone got any advice. Anyone left there first school and then gone onto success.

Also I know they are not called NQts any more but I wanted to write this quickly and get advice.

Hello, I am so sorry for your husband. I hope he's OK. I would suggest ringing his union. Not necessarily to do anything but to talk to. It's a very stressful place to be. Must admit, I left.

Move schools and make friends with any teachers you can in the meantime… DH also had awful experiences of various schools and I think often the head sets the culture and that makes or breaks the entire environment.

As an Early Career Teacher /NQT he'll have a named person at his Appropriate Body to to talk to, either informally or formally, depending on how things pan out over the next couple of weeks who any concerns can be raised with

That is appalling management.
If the job is only till Christmas anyway (and it sounds as if he wouldn't want to stay afterwards even if offered) he would be better on supply and looking for another job from January.
I know not everyone agrees, but I think supply is good for primary ECTs. You get lots of practice in different settings, with different year groups and different TAs. You may have a bad day, but you can not go back there. You start getting asked back to certain schools, andcan build both your confidence and a reputation. Best case scenario, a job comes up in one of the schools that asks you back. If not, you have that positive experience to offer going forward.
If your husband was upset because he was struggling with the kids or tiredness, I would be saying to hang on in there. But this is generally poor management and particularly poor support for an ECT. Why appoint one if you are not prepared to support them and induct them properly? Such a waste for everyone.
As well as his union, he should contact the 'appropriate body' for ECTs -probably whoever ranthe 2 hour induction session.

Move school. Not worth risking long term mental health. Not all schools are like this. I was NQT last year- it's tough enough with good support.

Teacher here…NQT years are very hard and you’re definitely not spoon fed or guided in my experience HOWEVER what that head has done to him is atrocious. I’ve known more than one head who has behaved like this so sadly I’m not surprised.
He should hand in his notice and complete his NQT year elsewhere. Again, I’ve known plenty of people who have done it. Please tell him that the school isn’t right for him, it’s not him that’s failing.

Happy for you to DM me if you want any guidance etc although I work in primary.

Move school. One of the NQT at the school I worked in 2 years ago was bloody brilliant. BUT, the school were so unsupportive, he went on sick leave with stress

Is it an academy by any chance?
Move school, start looking now and he can be gone at Christmas. It sounds terrible. Not all schools are like this

Thankyou everyone. He is more then happy to find out for himself stuff (like where the paper is kept) but more then once parents have asked him how their child has got on re medical issues and he has had to say he was not aware. He actually emailed each parent and invited them to send him info or meet with him in person to have a chat about their child so he can get to know them better. Every school he has trained in had a file under lock and key about each class and their pupils and things the teacher should know in advance. This one does not.

Not an academy. It’s a faith school if that makes an different though I can’t see how. He had no induction to the school as all

Pretty unanimous responses! Hopefully that will make him feel better. This is neither normal nor right.

I have little time for NQTs who expect everything spelled out for them and their hand held throughout. But this is not about that.

Any new teacher in a school (ECT or not) should have a proper induction, be directed to data and key info on their class(es) - attainment, medical, SEND etc.

ECTs need guidance on how the school expects eg. planning, not shouting at (ever - no one should be shouted at at work).

Tell him to cut his losses and leave at Christmas if he thinks he can survive, but probably ask to be released at half term.
Yes, he will have to include the school on future applications but he can say it was only a short term contract and he realised it wasn't the right school for him. Chances are, if he moves to another local school, that they know of the management of the school he is in now, and will just (internally if very professional) raise an eyebrow and understand.