PE teacher at dds school.

I'm in Scotland.

In our authority, if a parent contacts a class teacher, the PTC (Principal Teacher Curriculum - HoD or Faculty Head equivalent) replies.

The OP has already been in contact with the HoY, so it would be appropriate to liaise with someone who knows the background and is aware of the health condition. Other schools might work differently, but in ours it would be usual for either the Year Head or the child's guidance teacher to send an email out to all teaching staff and classroom assistants where there's a particular health condition - even if difficulties are more likely to be encountered in one particular subject.

ETA I should imagine that the HoY will already have informed the HoD about the issue, given the previous phone call.

Further edit: In a situation like this, the HoY would have asked me to have a quiet word with the teacher involved in addition to sending out an email to staff.

Some PE teachers are a special brand of psycho. It's such a shame as it's really off putting to kids who could benefit from encouragement and gentle stamina building like couch25K to find their potential and make fitness fun.

One of my worst PE teachers got suspiended for making a child on crutches play basketball as they didn't have a note

@WearyAuldWumman

I'm not sure when you retired or where you were teaching, but LAs don't really exist for secondary schools in England any more. The vast majority of secondaries are academies, and they make up their own rules.

I've been teaching for nearly 15 years and I've never worked in a school where parents couldn't (and weren't bloody well encouraged to!) contact class teachers directly with any issues. I'd love it if they didn't have my email, but that battle was lost a long time ago!

I would disagree on this being a HOY issue. It's a subject specific issue, really, as the health issues only impact on PE and its delivery. It's the Head of PE and the PE subject teacher who would be expected to work out what the OP's daughter is to do during PE lessons if she can't participate, and to set appropriate subject specific work for her to do. The HOY should only really be getting involved if an issue gets to the point where it can't be resolved within the academic department. So far from what the OP has said, the only meetings with school have been with the HOY and the Head of PE hasn't been involved at all. As a former HOD myself, I would have been pissed off if an issue had been raised about a member of my department and it had been taken to the HOY rather than allowing me to try to resolve it first.

I realise that it varies very much from school to school, but in my LA parents are asked not to contact secondary school class teachers directly. (I'm a retired HoD.)

In my view, the HoY would be the appropriate contact given that there's a significant pastoral element here.

This.

I’m sorry to say that in my capacity as a form teacher I have clashed with a PE teacher over a similar situation who sounds similar to the one you describe. Make a complaint.

Fuckin bitch. Phone in the morning for a meeting.

I'm so angry on your child's behalf. Making her walk outside when everyone else got to stay in?

Nah, I'd be livid and boy would she know.

Kick up a huge fuss.

That's appalling , as others have said definitely ask for a meeting - and needs to know this is unacceptable- I'd be furious

If you have a meeting, go in with a list of everything written down in bullet points of what you want to say. And then below that a list of what you want to happen

then if you get tangled (I know how you feel) just look down at your list and take a deep breath

if they try and deflect

well thats not the point
to bring you back to the topic at hand
if I could just reiterate that I want to know ..

then at the end, ask for their direct email addresses and say you will be sending an email that summarizes everything you discussed and agreed and you would be grateful if they would acknowledge receipt and confirm their agreement

She obviously thinks it's a case of a child with asthma just using it as a reason because they don't like the lesson (which likely happens a lot, I know my DD in year 8 has used it as an excuse for pe lessons she didnt like, but will happily join in and use her inhaler as needed when it's the sport she enjoys!)
I would send in copies of her consultant appointments and discharge summaries from when she was too unwell to even walk, I'm sure once she realises it was actually a disabling illness for months not just asthma she'll have a lot more understanding.

I'm a secondary school teacher.

Don't go in being confrontational or all guns blazing.

PE teachers are always having to deal with kids who are trying to get off sports. Their reality is that they are endlessly getting emails and notes and so on from parents saying X has a cold, X has their period, X has stubbed their toe, can they not do PE today, and it's a pain in the arse for them. A lot of kids are trying it on and it causes them a lot of admin and logistical difficulties sorting out the kids who are skiving from the ones who are genuinely unwell or injured. I wouldn't do their job!

Also, bear in mind that communication systems in many schools are shit. The PE teacher may not know your daughter has ongoing respiratory issues - you'll be surprised how much important stuff doesn't get recorded or circulated. In my school only people with certain admin rights can add notes about students' health or whatever to our internal systems, and if an email gets overlooked or someone doesn't have time to put the note on the system, then pretty vital information can end up not being circulated to staff. You also have to bear in mind that PE teachers don't get much time at their desks, so they can miss emails and so on due to being outside for much of the teaching day.

I wouldn't be having a meeting at this stage as there's nothing that's happened here other than eye rolls and muttering - which your daughter has assumed are about her but might not have been, so that's not fact - and the threat of a behaviour point, which may be down to the teacher not being made fully aware of the health issues.

I would send an email to the Head of PE and the PE teacher, with the HOY copied in, reminding them of your daughter's medical needs and the fact that she is currently off PE due to her chest, as per doctor's advice. I would then ask what the plan is for her during PE, given that you don't want her participating in practical lessons until she is cleared to do so by the doctor. I would also raise the behaviour point and say that your daughter is very upset to have been assumed to be bunking off, and that you would appreciate the PE teacher apologising and making it clear that there had been a misunderstanding next time she sees her.

Only if that email is not acted on would I escalate to requesting a meeting with the Head of PE and Head of Year.

Meeting needs to be with Head of Year as they know your DD and the background to this. Whether the PE teacher or Head of PE is there is less important as the HOY will inform them of what needs to be put in place.

Decide what outcome you want - possibly system involving a clear understanding of when DD can or cannot do PE, how that information is to be conveyed to the school and what DD is to do during sessions she can not take part in. Think also about break times; you can’t easily argue for missing a PE lesson if DD is a child who spends their break time running around or playing sport.

There is a DfE document called “Supporting Medical Conditions in School”. This lays out the responsibilities of schools and others. Download a copy and take it with you to the meeting.

If the Head of Year refuses to meet with you, or doesn’t make the changes required (putting in place a system so DD does not do PE when she is not well enough), or don’t keep to the system, then that is the point to make a complaint, following the school's complaints policy.

Don’t mention the eye-rolls and comments, you want a plan going forward not a discussion on what a particular teacher did or did not do. Ignore the posters telling you to be confrontational.

Yes. You're probably not the first parent to complain about the attitude of that PE teacher either!

Just be yourself and don't be too preoccupied with what you need to say. I expected all just come tumbling out while you are there the or HoY will be meeting with a parent not the CEO of somewhere just be yourself and it will all be fine

Bloody hell. It's only PE too.
Def ask for a meeting with Head of Year AND the PE teacher so she can understand the effect of her unkind behaviour. Your poor daughter.

This - but ask to see the Head.

Whilst some children will spin events to suit their needs I think you need to get to the bottom of this. Maybe initially in a questioning manner in your meeting.

Take in notes, list of dates, events, visits to doctors etc so that you are not over come by the situation or forget details.

You are unlikely to see the PE teacher in question - not at an initial meeting anyway. That may come later. Most Heads will, after your meeting, investigate themselves.

All the best.

To be honest I’d be down there and demanding to talk to this teacher, but I absolutely have a chip on my shoulder about PE teachers since mine terrorised me because I was fat. A lot of them seem to be bullies.

Im not sure re going to the toilet if the kids participating presumably cant go either?

Pe teachers do seem ridiculously strict.

At dc school one kid was injured anyway so couldnt do pe. But cant take earrings out as they never healed a year on - got sent to behaviour room! Like how did it matter as not doing the sport!

Is your kid reacting possibly to an allergy (cat/dog/smoking?)
I find my chest clearer as i use olbas oil on a tussue in room overnight when ill. Broncostop also helps with phlegm.
Im surprised she hasnt recovered has it been 12months?

Probably not unless the PE teacher gets huffy in the meeting. Then she's showing her true colours. It might come across as being petty.
Really it's her whole attitude in general that's important, particularly the bullying.

I really wouldn't.

I would just say that your daughter feels really bad that she can't do pe and that she feels that the teacher is angry with her.

Yes, all the teachers at my school in the 1980s were lovely apart from the PE teacher who was a bully.

I don't know why they are like that.

My understanding is that exercise is ot not advised following viral illness.

The Pastoral Lead needs to be included, it's well-being, not academic progress..

I’m sure there are some lively PE teachers, but ime a sizeable number are arseholes. It is such a shame as it puts a lot of DC off sport and exercise for life.