The Department of Education think we are fucking idiots

[noblegiraffe]

In a week where we have seen the release of a report by the Commission on Teacher Retention making 10 recommendations that need to be taken to improve the retention of teachers because the profession is in crisis https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/media/bn2bk5a3/1970s-working-conditions-in-the-2020s.pdf

Where the EEF released research from 55 countries based around improving teacher retention in England because it's at crisis point https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/bonuses-would-help-tough-schools-attract-teachers-eef

And where the Public Accounts Committee criticised the DfE saying "We are not fully convinced the Department appreciates the pressure schools are under..." in its report into post-pandemic education recovery where it says a decade of progress has been wiped out from reducing the gap for disadvantaged children https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/40220/documents/196416/default/

When we know that the government is projected miss its target for recruitment of trainee secondary teachers this September by over 50% and teacher vacancies are almost double what they were pre-pandemic.

This is what they post on their twitter account. With shitty emojis like they've got something to be proud of. https://twitter.com/educationgovuk/status/1666732172034596864?s=61&t=U9XrcF693-JpMxeIueYG7g

Record number of teachers - teacher numbers have increased by 6% since 2010. Pupil number have increased by 11%. Maybe the DfE need some of Rishi's maths to 18 to be able to accurately interpret data.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/record-rate-of-teacher-departures-as-40000-leave-sector-last-year/

In other news, all 4 teaching unions are currently balloting for strike action in the Autumn - if you're a member, PLEASE use your vote.

So fucking fed up of this shower.

Rishi is at it too. What a bunch of losers.

If Rishi is so keen on providing kids with a fantastic education, why did he starve schools of funding while chancellor, and why did he choose to donate millions to an American school instead of U.K. ones?

I’ve become a statistic as a woman in my thirties who had a family, realised I could never be as good a teacher and mum as I wanted to be due to how unsustainable teaching has become and so I left the profession. I loved my job but realised how much time I was spending on my (lovely) pupils compared to my own kids. Work encouraged me to go part time instead of not returning after maternity but I said “To just use my ‘days off’ to empty my bottomless inbox and complete all the (mostly truly pointless) admin instead?” It was never really the planning and marking (after putting the kids to bed) that bothered me, nor even the behaviour in a school with a reputation for being a tough gig. It was all the shit that took time away from actually planning great lessons (I found there was so much more of this in an academy) and, for me, what I perceived to be the increasing desensitisation among my colleagues/fellow leaders to how unreasonable the demands to do these things with no or barely any impact were.

I really hope things improve before more people who love to teach are haemorrhaged because of what it has now become in far too many schools. I stand with all those striking and am there in spirit!

So on point Hols8. That’s exactly how I find being part time and totally agree about leaders being desensitised to the unreasonableness of their demands and the pointlessness of a lot of it.

You really have hit the nail on the head here!
I am a thirty something teacher! When I had my now toddler and went back full time I used to sit in the study at the weekend with tears in my eyes listening to my little boy playing with daddy while I was marking or catching up with pointless paperwork. I’d do what was required to keep my head above water and the kids on track with feedback etc but knew it would never be enough for my line manager (despite working evenings too). I realised then that I was going to spend my life being a rubbish mum and rubbish teacher. I’m just about to go back after my second baby and know it will be worse! Currently working on an exit strategy for next year. It’s sad but there just aren’t enough hours in the day to be good at both things.

I’m planning to be out in 2 or 3 years. Sick of more and more pointless workload landing from on high and the sense of having no professional autonomy anymore. Instead following poorly designed all school diktats that create extra work without even being fit for purpose.

I have found the atmosphere and culture of my school at least is getting worse and spikier and more toxic every year. People are burnt out and many are in ’every man for himself’ mode. It’s not a pleasant place to be and has been pretty disastrous for my mental health which in turn takes down any life you have outside of work.

Aware how negative I sound.

I started teaching in 2002. In no way halcyon days but I’m really nostalgic for them now. I could actually teach and use systems that worked best for me and my students so long as standards were met and pupil progress good. People were happier and less resentful in my world at least which made for a much more pleasant and supportive working environment. I can’t see things improving. Plan for next year is to basically try (again) to disengage from slt and whole school stuff, set firm boundaries and hide in my classroom as far as possible.

I have taken a big pay cut to reduce responsibilities and just be a class teacher. I hope it will make a difference because the last couple of years have been toxic and we have a quarter of the teaching staff and half of slt leaving this year. I want an old fashioned school where children are not just data and teaching isn't just tick boxes and buzz words. I live in hope that that is what I have got.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/teacher-pay-strikes-gillian-keegan-rejects-union-demands-reopen-talks

Gillian Keegan has rejected union calls to restart pay talks and immediately publish the independent pay review body’s recommendations on teacher pay.

Wow embarassing. Gaslighting cunts.

My thoughts exactly!

"A Department for Education spokesperson said: “As part of the normal process, the independent School Teachers’ Review Body has submitted its recommendations to government on teacher pay for 2023-24. We will be considering the recommendations and will publish our response in the usual way.”

The usual way being too late, and in a way that causes maximum workload and stress for those who work in schools.

It didn't used to be published this late, they're getting worse and worse at their job.

I'm an ex teacher. I adored my Y1&2&3 kids, 5 years later, I still miss them so much but as an NQT I was put on a support plan as I absolutely could not keep up with the 2 key stage planning, the marking, be a mum to my own kids and actually breathe or sleep. Nobody at uni told me it was like that, majority of my 2014 cohort have left teaching too. I wish I'd chosen a different degree. Anyone who's still doing it, you have my utmost respect and deserve all the pay rises.

I'm British but no longer living in the UK. Just wondering, is there significant, vocal support from parents and the community for teachers?

I read a lot about what teachers want and feel, but rarely read coverage of the support from parents. I understand your angle that as employees you want fair conditions. I'm just surprised parents aren't also shouting from the rooftops as this must have a huge impact on their kids education (current and future). If my kids teachers felt this way I'd be furious!

I’m surprised too Rosetta. Wondering if it will take a school literally collapsing on our heads, killing students and staff alike, to wake people up.

I’m a headteacher with a good track record - I’ve taken 4 schools from Ri/special measures to good/outstanding, keeping all the same staff who wanted to stay.
I am taking very early retirement because I can’t cope any more with the stress caused by all of the ‘not knowing’. I have staff working for me whose livelihood depends on their job and I have no fucking idea if I can keep them on or not.

Sorry Calamity. I think only heads who don’t give a toss about their staff or students will be finding this madness bearable.

Given they are the party of business supposedly they really don’t know how to run one. Not that schools should have ever been seen as businesses.

I think in terms of teacher retention, parents can be part of the problem. Certainly many teachers report receiving abuse from parents.

Some of that may be genuine complaints about the education system falling apart being directed at the wrong person, but also sometimes it's just completely unreasonable behaviour on the part of the parent.

I haven't seen any particular parental uprising at the government at the shocking conditions that their kids are expected to learn in. The most vocal "parent" group of the pandemic were fucking awful to teachers.

Having worked on Special Needs primarily for 9 years - after a very successful according to record - career in the private sector
as a member of Senior Leadership - you have nailed it.

Brilliance in your reference: highlighting the utter shambles that UK ed has been ( actually well before the pandemic ) is something we all need to do.

Uni lecturers on 6 figure salaries make even more mockery of the UK at large not least because they use the mental human collateral damage of students inquest of their greed.

My daughter lost her father when I lost my husband: she was 8

Schools and an
amazing network of pastoral support kept her going. She followed English as her dad was a well known BBC/ Sunday Times
writwr.

Her mental health was in bits: worse than when her father died .The MAB - secreted away by mainstream
media at Sunak’s request ( international students net a LOT of profit) almost killed her love of her subject - literally.

Fonthey need more ? No
Do schools need basic sustenance ?
Yes

We are so messed up it beggars belief