IABU to thinks some parents make some weird assumptions about school staffing, or are these isolated examples?

[Caff2]

My friend asked her school last academic year whether she could swap from Year 5, where she had been for 6 years, to Year 1, as the whole staff were asked if they would like to move year groups. She did this as she felt she was lacking in KS1 experience and wanted to experience a new challenge.

All good, SMT agreed, and she started in new year group in September.

Some parents have been in to ask the HT if she was "moved" because she couldn't cope with KS2!

When I was a class based teacher, I did the same and asked to move year groups/key stages a few times for CPD purposes, and also had comments similar to the above made by parents.

Why would moving year groups or roles be seen as some kind of issue? I don't get it.

What experience do people assume the HT has??

Sorry, negative interpretations about everything.

Is incredibly imposrtant, Imo for teachers and TAs to get a hands on view of where the children they are working with have come from or are heading towards, developmentally and academically. i would have thought this was obvious.

Humphrey

That suggests a pretty insulting view of what teachers do, doesn't it?

Many people assumed I did it for a pay rise as "reception teachers don't get paid much, do they?"

He he-well, all they do is play in the sand!!

Yes it is, but some parents are like that.

Why should they?

Because educating children is (should be) a partnership between parents and school.

Because parents care about their child and who is teaching them.

Because informing parents about the reasons behind stuff like this stops ill informed speculation which the school then has to spend time and energy to counteract.

Because often in other jobs people are moved because they are underperforming, so parents may put a negative reason on the move
which doesn't help them trust the teacher.

That's why.

Yes, I agree schools should inform parents about the reasons for moving teachers around. I wish they would at my DDs school, there are too many teachers teaching their own DCs. It is actually very difficult for the parents to discuss problems with the class teachers, and easily avoidable if they moved around.

Wouldn't it be good for teachers to stay teaching the same year group for at least a couple of years if not a number, so that they can learn from their previous year of teaching, and improve on lesson plans that didn't go well or as expected? I would assume that swapping all the time would make a lot of extra work for the teacher, and the children then have an inexperienced (at their level) teacher heading their lessons?

But why would they need to do that, TeenAndTween?

Why would it be a problem to do so? It would hardly be onerous. Yes schools are a bit of a mystery to parents - their memories are from when they are at school - 10-20 years ago. Their impressions of teachers are possibly through the eyes of a 9 year old or an 11 year old. A child who got "promoted" through the school as they went up each year - and therefore saw the next year teacher also as being "Up One Level" iyswim. Not correct - but an understandable viewpoint.

It seems that for parents it is not an uncommon assumption. Incorrect yes. But I would think it unlikely to voiced or though to to cause offence. Just not really thinking. Or childhood projections.

So really, to explain it surely is not really such a dumb idea? Or do teachers just prefer to laugh at the stupidity of parents behind their backs rather than enlighten them?

"Wouldn't it be good for teachers to stay teaching the same year group for at least a couple of years if not a number, so that they can learn from their previous year of teaching,"

In my experience, that's standard practice - moving around regularly, but staying a couple of years plus in each year group.

I've taught every year group from Reception to Year 6, the general view appears to be that you must be a more senior teacher if you teach the older age groups! Changing year groups every few years is a good idea but in my experience either end of the school ( Reception and Year 6) tend to be the sticking points! No-one wants to teach those year groups and once you are in, you never get out!!

I was congratulated by some parents for moving from teaching nursery to P1 (Scotland). I just smiled and nodded, though I hadn't considered that some parents might (wrongly) regard some stages as requiring more qualifications.

Not a teacher but we get moved around all the time so we have the experience

I think it's good practice

I think its a good idea, but parents obviously don't understand.
In fairness many schools aren't so forward thinking.
We have 3 dc and moved areas during their primary years so saw quite a few schools and never experienced this.
Sometimes a move within ks, but even then the teachers of ks2 were either lower or upper and only moved one year group.

When I was at primary school none of the teachers moved classes. One left and a new teacher came to her class but that was it. In secondary they taught their subject and iirc they had a form group and generally stuck to the same year, every year.

I don't work in a school, I have no idea about flip flopping about for professional development or any other reason. There are heaps of weirdness in my job that makes perfect sense to me but I wouldn't automatically assume someone in education would understand. Why would they? I don't think it hurts to tell parents the actual reason rather than have a load of speculation. (At out school the rumour was there was too many 'alpha mums' who had dcs going into a poor teachers class and they had moaned to the HT until poor teacher was moved)

We had an older male teacher look around for a job. He said, "and I assume I'll be in Year 6?" So clearly some teachers have this view too! Unfortunately he said it to our young female year 6 teacher. Hmmm.

I can see why, on the communication basis it's good for schools to tell about moves between years, but it's not for the parents to oppose them. I would see it as pure information.

This never happens in secondary schools, in my experience. No-one seems to expect it, so what's the difference?

Unless the school has all good or better teachers then a move from Y6 to Y1 would be unusual. The safest place to put weaker teachers is Y1 and y3.

Weaker/newly qualified teachers are always put into Reception first because it is much easier and less challenging. I know two people who have recently topped up their degrees and gone straight into Reception class teaching. It is common practice ime.

Really windchime ? I know of excellent experienced teachers who are in reception

I disagree about Reception- its a national attainment year plus the greatest parent contact. Too risky to put a weak teacher in Reception. It is certainly not easier than other year groups.

Windchime, that is completely untrue. Early years is one of the most challenging year groups! It's a whole heap of fun, but it's definitely not easy. In my experience, weaker teachers get shunted into Y1 and Y3. Y3 in particular..... These are years where not much is happening. It's shit when it happens- my dd wasted last year in y3.

The thing about schools is they act like it would be beneath them to ever explain anything to a parent.
Has anyone ever seen a newsletter saying Mrs x is keen to strengthen her skills in ks1 and will be moving next term. I think not.
There was a thread I read recently where teachers were outraged at the idea that parents should be told stuff like Mr Y graduated from y university, has z years experience etc.
sometimes I think teachers have a lot of crap to deal with but their obsession with secrecy (would it kill you to let me know which day is pe day?) baffles me

Our school swaps the teachers about a bit. My ds had a teacher for year 3 who has followed them through the school in year 4 &5 it has been mentioned that he might take them for year 6 also. That's a bit odd but the kids seem happy. They will be sad when they leave for high school having spent 4 years with this teacher.