Teachers what 3 things....

[Grumpyantics]

Would you change about your job if you could (except pay)....

1. Not specifically education, but more money invested into services for families and children (eg CAMHS, SALT, EdPsyc, family support, children's centres etc) so that schools can focus on educating and not tackling an ever expanding list of social issues

1. Limited number of SLT/wider SLT/associate assistant executive vice assistant principals sort of roles. There's been an explosion of them, especially with additional levels in trust teams and I'm not convinced they improve teaching

1. Depoliticise education so we can have some stability and get on with teaching instead of large changes every couple of years

Smaller class sizes, more PPA time so I can properly plan and differentiate. More and better qualified TAs. We have barely any experienced TAs and the ones we have recruited recently have only just left school themselves. I am not kidding I set a practical task the other day to make a model and the TA made her own!

Teach fewer hours a week. It's crazy how we are expected to somehow plan lessons, mark work, and do a million other tasks in almost 0 time!

Funding for state schools

One single exam board so there's less shopping around for the 'easiest one.

Ah. Our head knows we do this. He doesn't need to visit the classroom. I guess he just trusts us.
I suppose in a bigger school you've got less of an idea how individual teachers are performing so more walk ins are needed.

1. Funding - because most decisions are based on that, irrespective of what is best for the students

1. Ofsted - because most decisions are based on that, irrespective of what is best for the students

1. More funding for other public services, because more and more is being pushed back onto schools to solve. CAMHS discharged a student of us for us "to take over and continue the work" which I think says it all. I don't blame them: they are cut to the bone.

But at the heart of all of this, I would change the Tories. I can't begin to explain how much they have failed children and their families over the last 12 years.

@LolaSmiles says exactly what I was going to say. Spot on.

This.

fucking this.

ive a tlr subject lead and no extra time. Fewer frees than someone with no tlr because of all the bloody meetings.

1. Less paperwork/ marking
2. More non-teaching time (I rarely get what I’m entitled to)
3. Funding

Smaller classes
More funding/support for SEND
More time to plan/mark in the day

Yes because no one except school staff has any stake in education or right to a voice and teachers are all eminently qualified to cover every civil service (and ministerial?) role in a major government department.

@Bobbybobbins this yes

Useless meetings gone!!!

all academies scrapped and back to LA control

directed time scrapped as no one ever adheres to it, and clear working hours

Why do most teachers seem to hate academy control!?

1. More funding, especially for SEND children.
2. Ditch the dire GPS expectations for KS2 - no one cares if you know what the subjunctive form is.
3. More autonomy over what I teach. Wouldn’t it just be great if you could plan topics because the children want to learn about them, not because it’s what’s mapped out on our curriculum.

Better funding.
Smaller classes.
Less accountability - not because I don’t think I should be accountable within reason, but the pressure on teachers to secure progress when so much is out of their control is completely unwarranted. I can do my utmost - but when home life is a shit show, attendance is poor, a child is suffering with an ongoing illness or is struggling because parents are divorcing/ a family member has passed away etc. there really is only so much I can do. Especially when expectations for primary age children are ridiculous. Too much to teach, not enough time by far.

@Grumpyantics there is a whole new level of management- they are sort of like mythical creatures - who you hardly see but they dictate things.

At least the old LA model felt like their were links with other schools but there was autonomy.

1. workload! I am currently working on an exit strategy and this is the primary reason. I’ve done it for 11 years but now have a newborn and 2 year old and do not want to spend my evenings and weekends working as I have historically.
2. Class sizes. I teach a subject that pupils often find challenging. In the past 11 years, my lower sets have gone from 15 to 30 pupils with usually no TA to support. Anything that it set 3 or above (out of 5) is 36 pupils. This would also reduce workload as less marking per lesson would be generated.
3. Constant changing of GCSEs. We’ve just got to the point where we’ve implement the huge changes for the year 11 in 2018 onwards and have learnt lessons on things that work for this exam and things can can be improved…and our exams are already changing again. This then adds to point 1 as my school will expect each scheme of work to be rewritten again in their entirety! Not a small task!

1. More funding

1. No isolation rooms

1. Play based curriculum until 7/8 years old and from then on a flexible, holistic curriculum that integrates play, building/mending things, life skills, art, music, forest school, physical activity and mental wellbeing along with the academic subjects

I'm in Scotland. Secondary school, English teacher.

1. Smaller class sizes. Even 23 would be dreamy.

1. Ditch tracking as it currently exists in our LA. What a waste of time, for something so utterly meaningless.

1. Higher standards for behaviour /lower tolerance of behaviour that disrupts the learning of others. It's soul-destroying.

Who are these people though?

Rubbish - complete rubbish! I've been getting observed for 22 years and ita not what stops me slacking off

If I slacking off then behaviour drops and I suffer. So I don't - nowt to do with observations. My door is always propped open because I have nowt to hide, not because of any policies

The only area for development I had last time was "maybe use Think, Pair, Share"

1. Ofsted should exist purely as a safeguarding body
2. far less assessment of children - that time could be spent actually teaching them
3. fewer powerpoints, more play, continuous provision through all years (is that 3 in one)

@Whatifiwereareindeer
There should be a higher proportion of ex teachers in the DfE than there currently is. Their attempts at covid guidance proved this. Never mind the other shit they come out with.

1. Funding for SEND and schools for those for whom mainstream is not working. Drastically needs increasing. We are failing so many young people

2. Ofsted needs it's teeth pulling. Too much revolves around 2 days every 4 years. The tail is wagging the dog.

3. More PPA. I need a full half a day to do the admin from a day at work.

Isn't it interesting, not one teacher amongst us has said a pay rise!

1.More funding for Ed psych support/CAMHS/AP. I feel more like a Social Worker/ surrogate mum than ever before
2.
A change of curriculum (again!) so that more practical/ vocational subjects can be studied up to 16/18
3 A re think of the school days/academic year. Minimise unstructured time with rolling lunches/break. Include ore safe spaces/quiet zones. Look at evening out term times.