Head teacher

[HtotheS]

Headteacher has said that if our lessons don't improve in 6 weeks she will put us on a probation type period?? Has anyone else heard of this before? AIBU in thinking she can/can't do this? I have been observed and have been told I have 'areas to improve'

I think you'd be best posting this on the careers section of the TES...
community.tes.co.uk/forums/default.aspx?GroupID=2

We'll need a bit more detail. Are you a teacher? TA? Fully qualified? How long have you been at the school? Who is 'our' and 'us'?

Teacher, fully qualified, been at school 4 years

Unfortunately I think this is true. Check out the new "Appraisal" system which came into play in September. This replaces any previous performance management system which existed. The unions hate it though and are fighting it all the way even though it's already been implemented. Basically it's a way to speed up the lack of capability and dismissal procedures. I'd get in touch with your union rep ASAP if I were you.

What do you mean by 'our' lessons?

Is this personal or dept/school wide?

Me and one other teacher! I'm scared!

Sounds like you may be being threatened with a capability procedure? Please contact your union ASAP, they will be able to help. Has your head given you anything in writing? Have that handy when you call.

Not 100% certain, will need to ask in morning - yikes !

No nothing in writing

Been told from inspection I need to improve.

Please please contact your union for support and advice. Performance management procedures changed drastically from this September so I think you need to find out exactly what steps you now need to take and how the school should also be supporting you through this.

Good luck.

Weren't you the poster who was worried that you were team-teaching with a colleague who'd produced a lesson plan which wasn't very good? If so, I'm guessing that this is the outcome of the observation... The new system does unfortunately allow head teachers to implement the probation period after 1 observation which is deemed to be less than satisfactory. They must, however, have a system of support in place for those 6 weeks rather than just telling you that you need to improve. The dismissal is therefore only used for those who have not made the required improvement despite having support, not just those who got a "warning" six weeks previously.

If you are deemed as failing in anyway thw school has an obligation to support you and put things in place to help you improve. Contact union asap

Oops x-posted. Definitely contact union though.

BTW - 'need to improve' is not enough information from HT. They should be able to tell you what exactly needs improvement. If this is all they have said then they are being too vague. And they should also be able to tell you HOW they would like to see it improve.

I'm not a teacher but advice to contact your union asap seems a bit OTT

Why can't teachers be told they need to improve just like any other employee without such a kneejerk response. I think teachers on the whole do a very difficult job very well but they have to accept that they aren't all as good as they should be and imo a head should be perfectly entitled to ask for improvement.

HtotheS - none of us can possibly know whether you're doing a good job - just ask for more feedback and take it from there.

I'd suggest that you have an objective review of your work to identify weaknesses & put your efforts into meeting levels of competency.

Michael Gove is finally treating teaching in the same way as private sector employees have been managed for years. If you're not good enough - improve or get out

You should get written feedback from your obs, plus a written support plan and timescale for support, along with targets as to where you need to be at the end of the probation period to ensure no further action is taken. This is the minimum requirement for this procedure...

I second everyone who has said 'TES' and 'union'. When were you told this? What support have you been given in order 'to improve'?

The reason we're urging OP to contact union is because the appraisal system against which she is being judged has not been fully ratified with all of the appropriate agencies/organisations and has been "rushed" in to a school's daily life. It is possibly not even enforceable when you compare it to the terms and conditions a teacher is employed with; it's a bit of a farce to be honest...