I blocked my Headteacher on WhatsApp this week

Was it a Connor’s questionnaire or something like that?

It might be a kind gesture to complete it (if you know the child and can do it). Were you their main class teacher? Primary? If secondary, surely someone else or SENDCO could do?

However, if it meant a child got support quicker, I’d probably do it for them.

Workload is horrific and you do just want to run away. I’m going back as supply (after 25 years FT) supply too as life is just too short for the demands of the workload.

Could you ask HT to forward request to you and then warn you’re unavailable thereafter.

For those saying OP is contracted until end August, may I remind, yet again, that teachers’ salaries are divided into 12 to cover school children’s holidays but we accrue the equivalent hours plus many more during term time.

HT shouldn’t have contacted OP. For the sake of child she could complete the task but it’s shoddy that she should have to.

I wouldn't be a teacher for all the tea in China. I've seen what the teachers at my DD's school are like - they are stressed up to their eyeballs. I know it's a vocation for some - but god, they all seem to have so much on their plates. It's not just teaching is it - they seem to dream up new responsibilities & paperwork for teachers every day.
The teachers I know seem to do it because they genuinely the kids and their subject - but there's so much else on top of that.
I'm not sure you should do this work OP - but maybe message back saying you're away and unavailable to return to the school. Covers your back.

It’s a wonder. And you’ve read it as 2 statements of fact. You are entitled to read it how you like, I guess!

Teachers pay and conditions exists. It’s not up for debate. I think we can all just agree with one another endlessly on this. My post is more widely about the discussion on the thread and the profession. I wish the OP all the best in their career.

Can’t you just do the paperwork now?

'I wonder what people’s views would be if a doctor refused to complete a similar request for a patient.'

First and foremost a teacher's responsibilities don't equate to that of a Doctor.

That said, the fact that you believe a Doctor who has gone on holiday would return because of an issue with a patient has given me a chuckle.

This.

The thing that caught my eye about this thread, part from the posters who still do not understand directed time is the school having WhatsApp as a communication channel between the HT and staff. Utterly bizarre.

Every school I've ever worked in since general access to emails was enabled has a dedicated email system, password protected, which is only for school correspondence. Anything within the state system would insist on it. It is entirely separate from staff personal emails.

I can see that the OP would be outside the system, having resigned, so
the HT, in my experience, would have messaged via the OP's phone, very apologetically, saying they would phone at X time, or phoned directly.

@FlyingPlank But refusing to fill in the form makes her a bad teacher who should rethink her entire career. Apparently

I'm a lecturer and see this martyrdom, competitive compliance and attempted guilting increasingly at work. Pretty much always the women, the men do very much less of it. Increasing numbers of women lecturers. Fascinates the fuck out of me. It's clear the OP can't be made to do this, it's laughable to think she's the only one who can fill in a form. I hope she doesn't.

It is completely inappropriate for your HT to contact you on WhatsApp. If you are in a union, tell them. Work needs to be confined to work platforms and work time.

All of this does not alter the fact that teachers cannot be forced to work outside directed time (DT). As an aside, the bit about "others tasks as directed by the HT" (not verbatim), in contracts refers to tasks, not when, so anything outside DT is out unless the staff member consents to it, as tens and thousands of teachers do every weekday, weekend and holiday.

The OP's manager is at fault here for not checking before the OP left.

I'm presuming it's SEND support plans. They should have been reviewed and new ones shared with the parents before the end of term. This is a statutory requirement.
If it was evidence forms needed for an ADHD or ASC pathway, they are time dependent and the applications will be rejected by the external agencies if paperwork isn't completed and returned in time. In this instance, you are jeopardising the assessment for vulnerable children.
Either way, it's not very professional and headteachers talk to eachother.

Not in the unpaid holidays she doesn't. NEU rep. And contrary to common belief the holidays aren't "paid". The pay for term time is divided into 12 payments. There is no directed time in August. There is a proportionate amount of paid time off like in any job but you wouldn't suggest a person on a week's holiday from Tesco pops back in to stack a few shelves, would you?

Interesting views on here. 20 years in teaching , half of that as a head. Directed time is not “work time”- it is time when management can direct you to do certain things- like be in school, teach, meet with parents. Teachers are paid a full time salary, not term time only pro -rata , like many teaching assistants and school support staff. The 1265 directed time quota was always rightly designed to protect teachers from endless meetings and admin. As professionals who are paid full time, the rest of their time is self directed. And the very best use it to plan, further their professional development, run clubs and events for children, and perhaps even complete essential planning for some of the most vulnerable children and young people. And they have their contractual holiday, of course, where they cannot be directed to come in unless they are on the leadership scale. Where they are entitled to relax, take their holiday and decide how and when they ensure they are ready for the next academic year. In recent years I have found it interesting that a small number of teachers translate directed time as “the only time they will do anything related to their job.” I wonder what people’s views would be if a doctor refused to complete a similar request for a patient. I have the utmost respect for the profession I have devoted most of my working life to. Being a head is one of the most stressful, challenging and thankless jobs there is. And this head will need to ensure this child’s paperwork is completed. And no doubt it will be. But this type of work is best completed by the child’s own teacher whose insights would no doubt have been truly valuable for the child’s education. I wish the OP all the best in their career.

Agree with this.

OP you feel bad about it because you do care and probably worried that this is now going to affect outcomes for a child

But the fact is if this was really crucial it should have been picked up before term finished and you should have had support to get it done.

They should not be relying on an ECT to complete SEND paperwork on their own.

Well done you and all your keen overachieving colleagues - all those years you have steadily chipped away at reasonable work/life balance and helped to make the profession unsustainable and contributed to well documented mental ill health and burnout among teachers. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Technically, you cannot be directed to work during the summer holidays, regardless of the fact that you are still under contract.
On the other hand, if it was something you were asked to do before the end of term, you were directed to do it then, and so arguably if you didn't do it on time you were choosing to do the work during the summer holidays.

If it's something that only you could do (until the child's new teacher has got to know them), then I'd be inclined to do it sometime before the end of August, but "as soon as possible" is probably just for the head's convenience, so choose when suits you. If you drop them a quick message to say "I'm on holiday at the moment but will pop in during the last week of August to finish that off", then they may feel rather more inclined to support future job applications than if you just don't reply.

@IHeartKingThistle If work-life balance matters to the OP, I suggest she gets out of teaching now.

Morally, purely from the perspective of the welfare of the children whose reports you have not done, I feel you are in the wrong and its potentially not something another person can do as you have that personal knowledge that is needed.

If the welfare of the kids isn't at the heart of your desire to be a teacher, then yes, you are in the wrong career.

Finish the work and walk away with your head held high.

What does SENDCo mean in teaching world

I think it’s unreasonable a Headteacher is relying on an ECT to complete urgent SEND paperwork and messaging you in the holidays to come in and complete it.

But you don’t just block people because you can’t be arsed with a bit of professional confrontation. It’s incredibly childish and rude.

You should have argued your case politely and firmly and told her that, unfortunately, you are not available.

You’ve fucked your reference now, and damaged your professional reputation.

Teacher of 27 years here - Fuck Them
They can’t make you go in. You got no support, the goodwill on your part is gone. If this paperwork was that important you would’ve been reminded to do it via email or in person before the end of term. There will be other people who fill in the forms - I’m saying this as one of the people who does fill in the SEND forms when others forget and goes into school in the summer holidays

But they aren't contractually required... 🙄

Even if you’re not concerned about your responsibilities here, you’re a fool to mess up a reference like this. You sound very young if you don’t realise the impact this will have on future employment.

Ah the irony of posters replying with the one word "lazy" 😂