I've got the fear..!

[rennyrenoir]

Anyone else got the fear about next week? I am dreading the return to school! Due OFSTED any day too. The nightmares have already set in!

Would love to know if people with 'normal' jobs also have a feeling of impending doom.

[Clobbered]

Always. Have avoided at least a week of doom by breaking my ankle on Christmas Day...

[calzone]

Me. Back on Wednesday.

Ofsted looming......

[WhenMarnieWasThere]

Estyn inspection also looming here.

We get a bit more notice though - 4 weeks. But have been expecting it all last term after our amalgamation and I'm at the point that I'm wishing it was done and over.

[Fruityb]

Back on Monday always with the fear. I absolutely dread the first day back and have no idea why. Ofsted are an ever present worry lol

[rennyrenoir]

Oh it is so reassuring to know I am not alone!

[Ohwhatfuckeryisthis]

Kin ell, is everyone expecting the Spanish Inquisition OFSTED? God if we jump through anymore hoops we can join billy smarts circus.
My last lovely lie in tomorrow. Sob.

[Catmint]

I have a 'normal' job, and I've got the fear!

I'm also a school governor of a school that is due a revisit from OFSTED and I'm feeling the fear about that as well!

[threepiecesuite]

We had Ofsted the last week of term. Don't know the verdict yet. I think it's the bad news we're all dreading though.

Have been browsing non teaching jobs.

[Fruityb]

This holiday has struck me more than ever that I just don't think I want to do this anymore. I can't work like this I feel like I'm on eggshells all the time. The guilt at actually enjoying a holiday and not working for loads of it is destroying me. And having ofsted round the corner or being beaten with it at work is just getting too much for me. All these results I'm due in summer and I just don't think I can cope anymore.
Oh I'm getting worked up now need to stop!

[BigcatLittlecat]

This time last year I too had the fear, was in a horrible school with a new bullying head. I ended up having time of for stress after over 20 years of teaching.
I left that school and didn't work for a while but got a new job in September and have never been happier. Even though we are due a visit! I know that it's not always possible to leave and we are still dealing with the financial ramifications of me not working for a term but it was the best thing I ever did.

[Guilianna]

oh god yes I have it - and also due the big O

[rollonthesummer]

Yes, me too. I hate it all now. Used to love the teaching but hate the other crap but now I hate the teaching too as there are just so many constraints. I need to leave. Hoping this will be my last year.

[threepiecesuite]

Sitting here marking and every book is killing me. I resent how teaching has robbed me of my life for 11 years.

[Guilianna]

yes I want out, too, now.

[rollonthesummer]

I have to say (and it's not her fault) but toomuchicecream's post yesterday called monitoring the quality of teaching and learning really depressed me. That is a huge reason why I want out. That role doesn't even seem about making standards better but about a lack of trust and increasing an already huge workload for classroom teachers who are already leaving the classroom in droves.

[chosenone]

I've been up and down with teaching the past year, new initatives re data and progress baffled me, work scrutinys seemed OTT and almost like bullying. I felt it was literally no fun anymore. ...then a few things happened.

1. We had a dept review that went really well. We received some praise (for a change) and felt good about ourselves.
   
2. I bumped into a retired teacher I knew well. He said don't let the 'bollocks' get to you. Remember the kids and parents that appreciate you and bollocks to ofsted. Think of ot as a job not a whole lifestyle etc.... he's loving retirement obviously but his message reminded me of what I ised to think as a younger teacher. Smile and pay lip service to most of the 'bollocks' and hold my head up high that I know im doing a good job.
   

Not easy if you have bullying leadership/team leaders I know.

[rollonthesummer]

I've done the smiling and paying lip service to the bollocks for years! I do think it's different somehow now though-PMR (no increment if you don't meet targets), book scrutinies, obs, pupil progress, new levels etc

I can ride the waves of bullshit and get on with the job in hand, but when 90% of my job is actually the bullshit itself, it becomes far more difficult.

[Guilianna]

I think a lot of people dislike the bullshit but many, at all levels, are scared of the consequences of speaking out. A lot of teachers I've met are keen to please individuals who become emeshed in the addictive and dangerous game of trying to prove they are capable of jumping ever higher.

[rollonthesummer]

It is a dangerous game.

One of our NQTs started making a massive folder to keep evidence in for each teaching standard and was quoting things in the staff room at lunchtime, eg 'I can use that in my file as my third piece of evidence for standard 8B but still need some more for standard 8c etc. It made everyone else slightly hysterical!!

Not me though-I have no such file, so it'll probably be my head for the chop next!!

[Guilianna]

The admin skills you need for evidence collection aren't a guarantee of amazing teaching, unfortunately - although they seem to be becoming a fair substitute.

[rollonthesummer]

Being able to pull off a few outstanding lessons isn't a measure of much either.

Someone on here said last week that if your class results are good, the children are happy and the parents are happy-that's says far more about your teaching than an outstanding Ofsted lesson (and a dazzling PMR file!)

[StevieWonderWoman]

It is INSET for us tomorrow. Not looking forwards to it as we are "teaming up" with another school, discussing how to be "Outstanding". would rather be having a lie in...

[WineCowboy]

Ofsted due with us too, am sooooo scared!

Oh well, nothing we can do, just suck it up as usual. But I have the fear big time tonight about work tomorrow.

[FeckthisFrankie]

We had Ofsted last term, went well and it was a good feeling so think positive people.

I don't want to go back and I do like my job! I do hate the mornings though and the harassing my own dc to get ready so I can leave on time and trying to juggle getting work done at school and getting back to collect dc. I only do part time so how your full timers manage I don't know!

Clobbered - how did you break your ankle? You poor thing! Teaching is not the ideal occupation for resting an injury!

[WineCowboy]

I broke a toe once and had to use red tape to mark out an exclusion zone! Worked well clobbered! Obv a toe is faaaar less serious than an ankle but it meant I felt safe that no little one would fall onto it!