WWYD- moral dilemma / work

[pestoblush]

Namechanged. I started a new job 18 months ago. I am a teacher of students with SEN. Previously taught in a special school now in a mainstream school but I run a class for SEN.
the head of dept is not a nice person to put it bluntly. She will retire but not for a few years. The other two teachers in the SEN dept have somehow wrangled it to only get the easy kids who have mild reading difficulties when I am in the class with aggressive behaviours but I do love the kids. I am getting somewhere I feel with them and I am dedicated to them. Or so I thought.

I could deal with all that but we go out to mainstream (secondary) classes and very few teachers adapt lesson (one of the students can’t write a full sentence). When I ask the teachers could we work together to adapt lessons they say they can’t. We went on a trip into town the other week and the other teachers all ran off to a restaurant (including the head of special needs) so I kept an eye on them (no way in earth could they be left alone. They did ring me to see if I wanted to join them in the restaurant and I explained I needed to stay with these students.

anyway the headteacher is lovely and I respect him. Next year there are new students who are minimally speaking. There is no provision for them in mainstream - I am not allowed to teach them in the special class as they ‘need their education’ (they are literally sitting in a room not understanding anything.

I am looking for work but I feel bad for the very kind headteacher, I have said what I need to but the head of SEN is horrible often ruining everything - she’s calls the special class a babysitting room (if we do any kind of sensory or nurture activities)

The other staff if it’s the SEN children - they haven’t looked in their books, they walk pst their the desk and don’t engage with them. The head of SEN is the most spiteful person I have ever met. She is friendly with the headteacher so I can’t really deal with the situation. I am going to have to leave but I wanted so badly to make this work.

Get yourself out and then report to local authority/Ofsted.

I’ll get out for sure (I wouldn’t be the type to report) but it hurts so much

Of course you should report it. You report for the children's sake not out of any kind of vengeance.

I think I will quietly go. I absolutely love being an SEN teacher (it’s incredibly hard but I get so much back which sounds cheesy but I really do)

I think I need to jump ship though

Have a conversation with your DSL about the safeguarding gaps and

pull out the RA for the school trip

You can also refer safeguarding concerns directly if DS L does not.

Details are on your safeguarding policy if unsure.

Report to Head and see if they act in your other concerns and worries

If not pull out your whistleblowing policy

I don't get the school trip situation - do you mean vulnerable teens were meant to be left unsupported whilst staff were in the restaurant??? Surely there was a risk assessment that included supervising your ones, a plan for the day, etc etc?

I can understand why the kids (eg mild global delay rather than non-verbal) are streamed like this, at least sone of the time.

Crap that teaching staff are unable to differentiate lessons appropriately. But unsurpring.

Can you write a completely factual, evidenced list of issues - that might help. The stuff about the depth head being a horrible person won't make changes happen, even if ahe is an utterly ineffectual self centred useless poo.

Yeah I know that just opinion (and I don’t say it in real life)

no risk assessment- once the art gallery visit finished .. poof.. they gave the kids two hours and then vanished to a pre booked restaurant themselves. I patrolled the place.

that’s a minor example .. the students do need to interact with mainstream but the teachers literally ignore the SEN kids. I can’t do it anymore. My heart is not in it. I don’t go into the staff room anymore if I can help it but I will be polite and see out the year.

The reporting isn't for revenge. It is so this can be investigated by an Outsider- often people have got used to what a place I'd like and stop seeing what is wrong. It needs someone to come in.