AIBU to be concerned about school staff

[RabidAnchovy]

Also put this in education but know there is more traffic here

Got the parent briefing from the DCS school (DS1 going back for 6th form and DS2 going back to year 8) there are 19 teachers that have left at the end of this term, yes 19.

It is a C of E high school just been granted academy status (that's a whole other thread) with 1000 students.

I think 19 is a lot of staff to go and it seems that at the end of each term staff leave, not one or two but in droves. Its ofsted is GOOD but I am starting to worry about staff turn over, the head has an open door meeting each month, would it be unreasonable to go to the September meeting and voice my concerns? All the head ever goes on about is the importance of the right uniform I would be more worried about the teaching staff then if a child has the right socks on

Get used to academies - they turn staff hand over fist.

You could enquire about the staff turnover in the September meeting, yes.

But often teachers move on to further their own careers...ie becoming a HOY in a school with an opening.

Or returning to their birth country once they've gained experience in the UK.

There are 6 staff members leaving my DS's school and they're all going back to their home countries.

It is not yet an academy and this has been going on for a while

Worra, from the list (and from knowing most of the names on it) none of these teachers are from other country's.

As soon as the staff found out that the school was leading up to academy status many will have started looking for jobs elsewhere. The good ones will have found new jobs quickly.

Lots will leave because of it being an academy, you could voice your concerns but what are you hoping to achieve or find out, won't it be too late in September?

Well the 6th form look pretty much un-effected but I am thinking should I think of changing DS2 to another school, there is nothing I can do till September as the letter (email) was sent out at 3.00pm on the last day of term when the kids left at 1.00pm

Teachers do not want to teach in an academy.

It's not surprising so many have sought new jobs - they have terms and conditions to protect.

I would definitely take huge issue with emails/letters being sent out at 3pm on the last day of term. What are they trying to avoid?

NQTS = cheap labour.

They are young and want promotion and status.

I'm sick of untangling the mess a 3 yr qualified teacher as HOD makes. I don't get paid nearly enough to sort out their crap, but I do it. More and more schools need and rely on support staff (cheap) to keep the smooth running. Oh and most of us are that bit older, with superior degrees and experience too ;-)

I was not happy about the Academy thing either TBH

Turnover of between 10 and 15% in a large school is meant to be typical. Does it fall within that range?

There are 50 teaching staff listed

OK - so that's a very significant proportion and it does sound like something is up, but as Ruby has said it almost certainly has more to do with the move to Academy status than necessarily being anything sinister about the quality of the current leadership.

Do you know, or could you contact, any of the school governors for reassurance/information?

governors are listed on the website so I might contact them

JumpingThroughHoops I'm interested in your comment about academies turning over staff hand over fist. I work as a TA at a school which is highly likely to become an academy (currently in special measures, have been told by governors that we are likely to be forced to be an academy, interested parties have already been looking around etc). I just have no idea what this might mean for job security, staff morale etc but also wonder if an academy will automatically look to cut costs to run things in a more business-like way, an obvious cost being TA salaries...just keen to hear your experience of why academies turn over staff as you describe.

Teaching staff of 50 in a 1000 strong secondary with 6th form!?! That can't be right.

50 are what is on the staff list on the web site (6th form not on there and is very new)
DS1 been there 5 years and over that time there seems to have been a fair few staff leave and be replaced but never 19 in one go.

There are also LSAs and Teaching assistants not listed

We probably turn over that many each summer at least, mainly from maths and science as they can afford to be picky whenever they feel like a change. 1800 on roll, including sixth-form, teaching staff of 140ish.

They could well be leaving because of the academy status. They could be leaving because the HT and SMT are bastards to work for. Some could possibly be expensive teachers who've been "encouraged" out to make way for cheaper alternatives. It would interesting to know how many have another job to go to in these times of high teacher unemployment.

Whatever the explanation is I doubt the HT or governers will tell you anything meaningful.

I'm certain it's because of the academy status. The school can choose its own terms and conditions and they seem to be all worse than in a LA maintained school. There's whispers of the school that I worked at last year becoming an academy, it won't happen for probably 2 years at least, but staff are already jumping ship while they still can! ( I'm moving schools, but not because I was unhappy, just for my perfect job).

i don't understand - why do so many staff want to leave acadamies??

Staff want to leave academies because they can opt out of national terms and conditions, which means that in the longer run they can pay less, increase hours, stop teaching your subject etc.

oh right thanks