I’m a Primary School Headteacher. Ask me anything!

[RonnieOnion]

This is not a TAAT, but I’ve just read one in AIBU about teachers/wine/holidays and it got me thinking.
What do you really want to know about us? Obviously I can only answer from my own personal experience.

YerAuntFanny
naughty names list

No we don’t make assumptions! We have so many children and so many weird and wonderful names that they all become the norm in the end.
There is one name I associate with ‘naughty boys’ but only because it’s my brother’s!!

GreenTulips
I've worked in two schools recently
One - head very into all the paper work weekly lesson plans interventions logged daily school ran efficiently wothon an inch of its life (hardwork but I really enjoyed in) poor area - average results

Second Lack on papers work no new initiatives no whole school behaviour policy kids not disaplined etc but receives higher attainment overall

Now here's the question - which is the better school?

Ah now there’s the rub. Better to work in, better for pupils, better for families, better outcomes or better by Ofsted’s standards?! Sadly, as we know, that’s not the same thing.

2ndSopranos
Do you aim to recognise the achievements of all children, i.e. not just the sports stars.
Yes. Every day. In every single way. For some it’s sports; others it’s maths; some it’s attendance; others, calmness; having a voice; eating lunch; toileting; forming a letter correctly...

Do you judge the parents who struggle to be at every single school event?
Not in any way. We don’t expect it. We hope that if we do lots, you’ll manage at least one. I tell kids that it’s my job to be their parent in the school day as I’m loco parentis, so if there’s no one from home, I’m watching them especially 👍🏻

Is there any truth that children of the PTA magic circle get preferential treatment?
When I took over my 2nd headship, it looked like there was some truth in that. I sorted it quickly. I can’t be sure it was deliberate though.

GreenTulips
Are Child of the year awards really necessary, when you've taught them all year we are all equal? Except on prize day when some are better than others?
I don’t do prize days. All the kids are brilliant and shouldn’t be made to feel otherwise.

Doodlekitty
I'm a primary school teacher with 5 years experience. I left teaching 6 years ago, as I was pregnant and wanted to focus on family.
I miss teaching so much, I have always been passionate about education and children.
If I applied for a job in your school, would you consider me?
Yes I would. Less experienced staff are obviously cheaper, but I can’t run a good school with inexperienced staff. I’ve just appointmented 3 teachers, all experienced and at the higher end of the pay scale.

Yes I would. Less experienced staff are obviously cheaper, but I can’t run a good school with inexperienced staff. I’ve just appointmented 3 teachers, all experienced and at the higher end of the pay scale.

I wish my DCs head teacher thought that way; she's making the TAs redundant and only employs NQTs.

RonnieOnion I'm a School Governor (sorry about that).

Two questions:-

1. Could you give me 3 things that the Governors do that you hate. (I could probably do that list myself!).

1. Could you give me 3 things that the Governors do that you like.

Many thanks

Ev1979
Do the year 6 SATs actually mean anything? I've heard different view's - do the results go to big school and are kids put into relevant ability sets from these results?
They definitely mean something to us. It’s a big deal. We are judged on how much progress each child (and the cohort) makes between the Y2 and Y6 SATs. It can be make or break for a school and particularly a head.

They’re important for secondaries, as the government use each child’s Y6 scores to predict their GCSE grades. That’s why many secondary schools retest: it gives them evidence if they feel the primary has over inflated them.

BingTheButterflySlayer
Are you a head obsessed with young and new and shiny... or one who acknowledges that older teachers with experience are still an asset to education? (Having seen all the graphs showing how older teachers are being lost at a bonkers rate out of the profession)
As I’ve said, a mixture of the two makes a school work best, imo!

letter sizing I totally agree that some children need tramlines, particularly those with SEN, and particularly those with dyspraxia. Those swirly whirly lines of writing are an art form

I was really interested in this thread Redonion but I have to say that your response to the question on parents being keen to get children EHCPs really grates. I am probably oversensitive but it is such a pallaver to get a child an EHCP that I have to believe that most parents have the best intentions. Also a child has to be showing very real signs of struggling academically in order to receive an EHCP that it must be rare for that to be entirely attributed to parental failure. As I say I am probably oversensitive in this subject.

Whereismumhiding2
What do teachers think really of parents of children that are doing extremely well at school, well behaved, thriving, above target in subjects, but are hit and miss on handing in or doing homework- probably handing in about 2/3 of weekly homework- YR5?
In my school, you wouldn’t even be on my radar!

Do head teachers push for homework or is it a requirement school is judged on? Do we get put in the bad parent book?
Part of the Ofsted ‘good’ criteria is that we set appropriate homework, and it’s a question that parents are asked by them.
(It only checks that we set it though; not that it’s completed!)

No Bad Parent Book in my school but I bet some schools have one!

Raaaaaah you misunderstand me. My response was about how some parents try for an EHCP to validate poor parenting.

In my previous life I was a SENCO. I also have a DC with autism who I never managed to get statemented despite my best efforts.
It’s never been harder to get an EHCP, even for children who would have got one easily 10 years ago. The current system makes it hard for schools to meet the needs of EHCP pupils. It’s criminal.

Raaaaaah Same here. I think it's around 3% of the total pupils in England that have a statement/EHCP so the idea that there parents are motivated to get "extra money" is pretty distasteful. And around 50% of those 3% will be in Special Schools. DS1 had DLA until he was 6 but still needs support at school via an EHCP at 12, due to the hostile and inflexible environment that school is for a child like him. Not that it would be any busy of the school if we were getting "extra money"!

Sorry I have another question. When it comes to things like a child not being toilet trained why is it automatically assumed it must be parents fault?
I have toilet trained my 3 year old when he was 2 yet people still believe my 4 year old is not toilet trained because I haven't tried hard enough even though the gp and HV have written to say I have done everything i can and that people need to drop it for now as next step is incontince team and he isn't old enough till her 5.

FrayedHem
My DC primary school has an Executive Head, Head of School and Assistant Head. If it's relevant there's about 200 children in the school and it's an Academy.

The rationale is it leaves the Head of School free to deal with day-to-day issues with the Executive taking overall responsibility.

What are your thoughts on that kind of set-up?

As a leadership model it works well and is cost effective. It’s like having a skilled headteacher and a good Deputy, only the head works over two or more schools, and the Deputy steps up.

The exec can view the school more objectively as they don’t have the close relationships that the head of school will have, so that makes for good challenge. It also keeps a permanent SLT presence in school, which is great for the parents and children.

MelanieSmooter
Why do HTs measure children in data rather than individual success?
I don’t. The government does.

Why are SEN children viewed as such a nuisance?
I’m sorry that’s your experience. I feel very strongly about inclusion. I work with our local special school and we have children that use both settings. I do know that some schools are inflexible though.

Why do so many of you blame parents for a child’s SEN like they chose and nurtured it just for fun?
I have an autistic son. I don’t know why some heads are such twats about this.

Is the empathy removal performed before or after you take the job?
I think it’s appalling that a profession has this reputation.

DanFmDorking
RonnieOnion I'm a School Governor (sorry about that).
Thank you; seriously. I’m one too (at a Pupul Referral Unit). It’s a thankless task.

Two questions:-
1. Could you give me 3 things that the Governors do that you hate. (I could probably do that list myself!).
Use the role as a power trip.
Try to influence the operational instead of the strategic.
Don’t take the role seriously and see meetings as more as a social event!

2. Could you give me 3 things that the Governors do that you like.
Seek to understand - ask, ask, ask. Aren’t afraid to ‘look silly’ with basic questions
Remember that they are responsible for my wellbeing and work life balance and just ask me how I am
Be as visible and as active as they can be.

Ronnie I’m sorry, I’ve had a very bad week with two ineffective and completely unemotional headteachers and I’m ever so slightly bitter. You and your school sound wonderful, where do I need to move to?

We can help with the anxiety at home even if we don’t see it in school.

Can you give me some examples of the help that your school has provided where children mask their anxieties at school and let it out at home?

RonnieOnion - thanks for that - points taken!

... and thanks for all that you and your team do - seriously.

Accounts of teacher stress and teachers leaving the profession indicate that excesssively demanding or unfair SLTs are responsible for a lot of problems. Are the schools with these notorious among SLT in other schools? Do staff from other schools ever try and talk some sense into them?

a personal one here. if u had a child in school who had many diagnosis and had been told by many drs that he needed 1-2-1 and an ehcp and when the dr spoke to the head she refused to even try for an ehcp and that if he didn't cope they would exclude, what would you do? how do we make the school help? I don't want to be fighting the school but I cant let a 5 year old be excluded for something that isn't his fault. thanks

How do you choose which teacher will take which class next year please? Do you have disputes between members of staff about it? Thanks.

You can’t win? You said to me earlier you couldn’t win when I pointed out that working parents can’t make school events at 2.30pm? BELIEVE me, if anyone’s not winning here it’s the not-working-in-a-school parents. And no, we can’t take leave. We’re too busy saving it up to cover the 14 weeks of school holidays each year.

Do you care about your staff? I have worked for my current head for 8 years and don't feel she gives a crap e.g. Knew I was having surgery. Didn't come and see me the day before to say anything or even message me while I was off. When I returned to school she never once checked in with me even though I was very obviously still recovering.