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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think parents(illness aside) should be informed re the days their dc aren't being taught by their teacher?

60 replies

Rockpool · 24/06/2012 10:12

Sooo my dd 7 has had 4 teachers this year(2 are a jobshare,half of which left out of the blue at Xmas).

Earlier in the year we started getting tears re another teacher we knew nothing about.On further investigation it turned out to be a student which I understand is necessary at times.I would however have like to have been informed particularly considering the disruption dd has already had. The tears have started again from dd(and her friend/others too apparently)and it turns out said student is back and she never sees Mrs X. Again I would liked to have been informed.5 teachers in a year is a lot imvho for a 7 year old.

I'd also like to know exactly when their teachers have PPA time and who (supply or TA)are covering them.

Fully except I may be unreasonable expecting this but would just like to know if I am iykwim.Grin

OP posts:
EvilTwins · 24/06/2012 10:16

YABU. Unless there is a problem with the quality of the teaching, in which case, you should contact the school, then I don't see that it matters.

YA certainly BU about wanting to know when PPA is happening and who is covering it. T

nkf · 24/06/2012 10:17

Good lord. Yes, you are being unreasonable.

LurkingAndLearningForNow · 24/06/2012 10:19

Ahh..You're being VERY unreasonable.

Rockpool · 24/06/2012 10:21

Why though?

I had no idea why dd hated school,had never even heard of said student. Surely if I'd have known I could have supported her.

Also not sure why we couldn't be told at the beginning of the year which days are PPA so we could know the days said teacher wouldn't be available.Wouldn't take much to inform parents.

OP posts:
dreamingofsun · 24/06/2012 10:22

so what difference is it going to make? I would prefer school resources to be focused on teaching, not telling parents who is teaching their children that day.

it can be discruptive though when they have loads of different teachers - 1 year my son had 8+ science teachers instead of the normal 1. This affected his learning and now means he's in a low set - so will have a LT effect.

Rockpool · 24/06/2012 10:24

So what resources would it take other than a note in their home book at the beginning of the year re PPA and one just before said student was starting?Confused

OP posts:
nkf · 24/06/2012 10:25

If your daughter is unhappy (and the tears are concerning) then deal with that. Maybe she finds it difficult to adjust to different teachers and needs help with that.

You are not being unreasonable so much as worrying about things that you don't need to control. You would be asking too much of a school to explain all these timetabling details.

Your daughter has a problem but the solution needs to found elsewhere.

cureall · 24/06/2012 10:25

If dd is coming home in tears and you are concerned about her, yanbu to want an explanation as to why this is.

AdventuresWithVoles · 24/06/2012 10:29

I've had so many letters in past year to say "X is still off on sickness-maternity-Honeymoon but will be back on Y date" only to have it not happen, anyway, the teacher wasn't back on date they said after all. Early or late or not at all.

So even if they try to keep you informed it will never be that accurate information. I would just as soon school didn't waste time on the paperwork.

cece · 24/06/2012 10:30

Why didn't you ask at the beginning of the year about PPA - it happens every week and is nearly always the same day with the same arrangements each week.

Rockpool · 24/06/2012 10:31

Wouldn't want it for sickness,sickness is part of life.Just for PPA time which must stay the same all year and for blocks of time in a term a student is teaching.

OP posts:
TheFallenMadonna · 24/06/2012 10:36

I am always in the room if a trainee is teaching one if my classes. So my pupils definitely see me.

Do you just want to be informed, or would you have asked, for example, for the trainee not to teach the class again?

nkf · 24/06/2012 10:38

Take it as read that your children will sometimes be taught by student teachers. That's how teachers are trained. Soon, your daughter will be able to spot them. But tears are a worrying sign. Talk to her, ask her what the problem is.

Rockpool · 24/06/2012 10:44

Nope just would have explained the shouting to dd as being part of learning to be a teacher.Wink

I understand having students can even be beneficial but would have just liked to have been informed both times given the disruption they've had this year. Might have enquired as to wether a class being taught be a jobshare half of which left during the year was the best one to be picked for a student (the kids could have done with a bit of continuity to be frank).

But mainly I would have like to have been able to explain to dd that the teacher was learning to be a teacher and that was why she was suddenly being taught in a different style.

OP posts:
BoneyBackJefferson · 24/06/2012 10:48

So you've had

two sharing a job
one left and was replaced (making 3 teachers)
one covering ppa (4 teachers)
and 1 student (who would be supervised by whichever teacher is on timetable)

I don't see the issue other than you wanted to know when/why the first teacher left.

curiositykitten · 24/06/2012 10:49

YANBU.

My 7yo DD's class teacher has stepped up into the temporary role of deputy-head until the end of term, meaning she will only be teaching the class on T/F and another teacher the M/T/W. A letter was sent home to explain this.
It appears, though, that T/F have been being covered by random teachers, students, other members of teaching staff, which whilst it onbiously has to happen in some cases, was not what we were told was happening. If they felt the need to tell us there were changes in the first place, why not notify us of further changes? Why not just not mention it in the first place. My DD has suspected ASD and has a lot of problems with changes and transition, and it's only because she made me aware of the changes (after weeks of upset for an unknown reason) that I've been able to try to explain to her, when all she really wants to know is where her teacher is and why she doesn't want to see her anymore :(

Rockpool · 24/06/2012 10:50

There is another too as they're split between 2 classes for maths etc.

Not interested in why the teacher left,not my business.

Would have just liked to have been warned re the student both times I guess.Confused

OP posts:
Rockpool · 24/06/2012 10:52

Curiosity I've had comments re dd's teacher not wanting to teach her anymore and "we don't see her".SadIf I'd known I'd have explained why and the reason for the class being hollered at all of a sudden.Tis a very well behaved class.

OP posts:
nkf · 24/06/2012 10:53

Assume students. They are part of the fabric of school life. Totally likely particularly at secondary school that at least one subject, at least one a year will be taught by a teacher in training. Supervised by the regular teacher.

Rockpool · 24/06/2012 10:55

I do assume students(and think they can be beneficial),I was one Smile,I just like to be informed.7 is still very young,she isn't secondary yet,some way to go.Smile

OP posts:
SilveryMoon · 24/06/2012 10:55

I don't think YBU.
I think ds1's teacher is an NQT, so she'd hae more PPA time than other teachers, but apparently she has lots of time off (according to other parents).
Ds1 doesn't seem bothered though, but I don't think there'd be any harm in informing parents of what's going on so that they can talk to their children about it at home.

BoneyBackJefferson · 24/06/2012 10:56

not really important but

Is that another teacher teaching maths or another two teachers teaching maths? (I suspect its the first not the latter)

I can see where you are coming from on this and I think that the timetable really needs to be rewritten.

Does your dd have room changes as well or do the teachers come to them?

LurkingAndLearningForNow · 24/06/2012 10:57

Schools aren't allowed to tell you why a teacher is off. They can tell you a new teacher will be coming in for X amount of time, but they can't tell you why the other teacher is off. (at least in our area)

ToothbrushThief · 24/06/2012 10:57

Each summer you go into our school to 'meet the teacher' for next year. It does seem a bit bizarre that the school feels that is useful but doesn't send a note home to let you know if a teacher is leaving /being replaced. My DD had a teacher leave at Christmas, another start but go on sick leave then two job shares....plus lots of fill ins along the way. It was highly disruptive.

I understand that's hardly ideal from HT's pov as well but some communication would have helped when DC came home and discussed it.

EvilTwins · 24/06/2012 10:59

Three weeks to go before the end of the year. Not really worth re-writing the timetable, Boney.

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