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Secondary education

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No teacher turning up to class. Is that normal?

52 replies

LadySeaThing · 15/09/2020 13:15

My teenage DS told me recently he had a class at school where no teacher turned up - and it's not the first time either. DD remarked that a friend told her the same thing happens to her big brother, and they all have an unwritten rule that if there's no teacher by half way through, they just leave.

These are 15yos coming up to exams. It's a state high school (Scotland) that prides itself on its great ratings and being a renowned school. But that's pretty shit surely? Just not having teachers to teach and not even bothering to say so/explain but just leaving the class to sit there?

I think I should raise it with the school but just wanted to check if this is familiar to other MNers. Is this a widespread result of teacher shortages and just what happens sometimes, or is it unacceptable?

Apologies if I don't come back to the thread immediately as I'll be busy/out but will come back later!

OP posts:
CremeEggThief · 15/09/2020 13:30

It used to happen a lot at my secondary school, but that was in the 90s!

RedskyAtnight · 15/09/2020 13:29

Not at my DC's school. If a teacher is absent the students are contacted in advance via their school email to let them know, and they spend the lesson doing work set by the teacher, in the independent study area, supervised by a "general" member of staff. (Disclaimer - not sure if they are still doing this with Covid guidelines, but I suspect they are at least doing a modified version)