Job share class for 3 years running

[sneepy]

Dd2 is in y2, all ready to go to the separate junior school in September. Her class have had job sharing teachers for y1 & y2. It worked all right this year but not so much in y1. There are 3 classes and they are all going up to juniors together, no mixing. Just got the letter saying who the class teachers will be and it's another job share. There is no class TA in juniors so there will be no continuity throughout the week.

There is nothing I can do short of moving classes or schools, but I am going to write to the head collectively with other parents to say we are unhappy with this and to ask how they can provide continuity etc.

Anyone have any experience with this? Reassure me that it will be ok and dd2 won't get lost in the shuffle again? Thanks.

[BarbarianMum]

Ds1 has been in a job share class for 3 years on the trot too. First 2 years it was fine (excellent in fact), this year not so good. But that's down to the teachers involved, there is no particular reason why it shouldn't work well. A good job share will provide as much continuity as is necessary.

[soapboxqueen]

As you've said it can work really well. Obviously you and the other parents you've mentioned can speak to the head about your concerns but I'm not sure what you will achieve. It's unlikely the head will admit that the staff are a bit rubbish at communicating.

I suspect you'd get reassured that it will be fine.

You'd be better off just keeping an eye out for problems. When/if they occur take those concrete issues to the head.

[DownWithThisTypeOfThing]

The year DS1had job share teachers was awful but I think this is because of the teachers themselves - both very wishy washy and I got the feeling there was no "ownership" of the class from either of them. Didn't help that one told me one thing about DS' progress and when I made an appointment to talk about it further it was the other teacher I met with and she had no idea what I was talking about.

I'm not against it as a concept, but 3 years running is a bit much if there are other full time teachers available, but presumably the school have already considered this?

[Bonsoir]

I don't think there is any problem with job sharing in primary classrooms per se but they do need to be managed.

[sneepy]

Thanks for the replies. I think what I'm hoping to achieve with a letter is to find out just how the school plans to manage it and to get some reassurance from them. The thing I'm most worried about is no TA-one reason this year has been smooth is there's a fab TA who is in every day.

[Bonsoir]

I don't think a TA is essential to a job share. The most critical issue is clarity of role/responsibility and excellent communication between teachers.

[Enkopkaffetak]

The last 5 years we have had a child in a job share class the primary my 4 went to has a 15 intake and class 4 that has year 5 and 6 in it has had a jobshare for that many years.

it has been nothing short of fantastic for all of my children. The teachers have worked well together and worked with one another's strengths.

However during the same 5 years we have also had singular teachers for one of the other children (I have 4) who frankly have been a bit rubbish. In year 3 ds had 6 different teachers due to resignations and sickness short term cover etc.

Short of it is sometimes you have a fantastic year with your teachers other years not so much. If your lucky you never have a "not so much". However your as likely to get a not so great year with a single teacher as with a jobshare.

Personally I would prefer a jobshare over a single teacher as when we have had sickness they have always managed to cover with the other teacher to me that is continuity..

[Yokohamajojo]

Mine had it in reception and it didn't work very well at all, exactly as down described it, no consistency and they didn't seem to communicate with each others very well. It didn't help either that both were 'new' teachers. It probably would have worked better if at least one of them were more experienced. I think you should definitely ask the head teacher for reassurances that there will be continuity and communication between them.