I am HoD in a core subject - newly appointed as Hod, but been at the school a looong time. I was acting HoD last year but appointed officially last month.
There have been severe staffing issues in the department for a couple of years now and it's just getting worse and worse. A colleague retired 2 years ago and wasn't replace as it 'only left us 6 hours short'. It didn't, because that was doing the maths in a way that would have meant teachers teaching 2 classes at the same time. In reality we were about a class short on each year group. Hence lots of split classes and non-specialist teachers in KS3 and even some KS4 classes.
The situation has slowly got worse due to mat leave not being covered as 'she was only part time anyway' and another teacher being promoted to a management role with hours taken on her and put onto unqualified cover teachers. Things have got so bad that my second is leaving in January and there is no replacement. We will try and get someone for Easter start, and another NQT for next year but that will also leave us short and basically writes off this year.
Colleague on mat leave has just told me she's not coming back straight away after Christmas as planned (I don't blame her for a minute) but I had been relying on her to cover some of my second's timetable, but that now won't work.
Remaining staff are stretched and tired and there is just no capacity to put on the 'bespoke interventions' the head wants to improve results. I have been told I am 'lucky results for 2017 were so low' as I can show lots of improvement, but how can I in this environment? (I actually don't think our department's results were that bad, but it is being masked imo as the head seems to want to scapegoat our department. I just don't see why he won't staff us when we are a crucial department.
It's getting to the point where I can't see a way forward and am even vaguely thinking of going off with stress - never would if not genuine, but it seems so hopeless now. How can I keep a track on all these random people teaching my subject when it's a huge department and chronically understaffed. I am absolutely dreading coming back after Xmas without my lovely second as will be on my own with it all. What can I do? Is there anyone, as teachers, we can complain to when we know schools are being badly run?
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Secondary education
Not being given the resources to do my job - union issue?
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theduchessstill · 10/11/2017 09:33
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