to want to know what parents can do about the teaching crisis?!

[BrightRedSharpie]

I'm in Scotland, btw, but I know there is a similar problem in England.

My DD's school is really understaffed. The P1 teachers have both been off all week, which has caused absolute havoc. They have had different teachers for mornings and afternoons because there are also no supply teachers available. P7 had to be split up for a teacher to come and take the little ones.

2 classroom assistants are also off on maternity leave, which either isn't or can't be covered. That's left 3 classroom assistants for around 300 children.

I know the school are doing their best. I've written to my MP and MSP. Is there anything else a concerned parent can actually do?

We have 2 teachers who have, on average, one day off per week for various illnesses, taking family members to hospital appointments etc etc

How is this allowed?! Are they paid for these absences? They'd be having 'return to work' interviews and be on a 'support' plan (precursor to capability) in my school!!

You cannot a parent to not put the needs of their child first. If a child has statement saying certain things must happen this is because that child needs those things to happen. I would not standby and do nothing if I knew they were not happening. This is not about not respecting teachers but about making sure my child gets what they need. I have never been rude whilst doing this but I have experienced rudeness from teaching staff (as I did from some colleagues when I taught).

And in the situation of Danyellas' school, if those children with additional needs are coping and progressing well, without receiving the additional support which was allocated to them, I wonder if this is recorded. If it is not, in order to hide the fact the additional resource has been diverted away from them, it is essentially distorting their actual need and not acknowledging their progress.

Teaching and education in Ireland is different and I guess Irish teachers enter the profession here with different expectations before eventually leaving. There are no SATs, no Ofsted, teachers are trusted and generally respected and allowed to get on and teach.

I can only presume teaching is nicer in Ireland (for lots of them to be training) but there are not enough jobs there (why, though?!)

School budgets are tight so schools are not hiring.
Teachers are not leaving the profession in droves like they are here.

Solitary

The SLT monitor classes, books and planning constantly. Lesson observations and learning walks are regular pressures. How are the more able pupils being stretched? How many in the class are age-appropriate and above in their learning?
Back to focusing on the individuals that can be part of that % first.

It is extremely short sighted if teacher assumes, just because a child possess some additional needs, that they can not be part of that %. It thourouhly shocked me, when my DC's obvious abilities were simply ignored, in favour of winging about some relatively mild additional needs - which only needed some relatively minor entirely reasonable adjustments. This was in the context of having more than enough individual funding. It was only when this funding ceased that these abilities were properly acknowledged.

Why just Irish teachers coming here though? Why not Welsh or Scottish? And why so many of them coming in the last 3 years?

^Thoroughly. Typo.

Parents can be honest about their children. We have so many parents who just see their kids poor behaviour as the school's problem and don't care about how their behaviour impacts on the whole class.

Again capsicum, as a parent whose children are both degree-level, I agree.

There are, however, a lot of children with additional needs that will not be peer-equivalent in the current educational system especially in literacy and numeracy, with the time available in class, with the ridiculous expectations for their year group.
If you followed them for a week with a webcam, it would be horrifying how little on-task activity many children with SN manage, especially if they don't have 1:1.
The pressures on teachers, the ones forcing so many out of the FT classroom are not from the children with additional needs in the majority of instances. But those children are often the ones that drift and slip through the gaps. Which is why parents need to be focused on their child to the exclusion of all else, if you don't advocate, they are rarely the top priority for others.

Why just Irish teachers coming here though? Why not Welsh or Scottish? And why so many of them coming in the last 3 years?

Massive recruitment campaigns in Ireland to fill the shortages in maths and science over here. I know some heads have arrangements with Irish teacher training colleges.

Teachers from the Republic of Ireland teach in a very different system to the UK. They have extremely strong unions, longer holidays, no directed time and a much better salary. They are not subject to the same level of scrutiny. Understandable that many train as teachers.

Teachers from Northern Ireland teach in a similar system to the rest of the U.K. However we do not yet have performance related pay or the same level of scrutiny. Our unions do not allow observations for example outside PRSD. Many Irish teachers cannot get into teacher training here as the demand is so high so they train in England or Scotland. This is with a view to working at home, which leaves us with far too many teachers for the number of positions there are available. Hence so many working in England. Teaching is no cake walk here but it is infinitely preferable to working in England.

Which is why parents need to be focused on their child to the exclusion of all else, if you don't advocate, they are rarely the top priority for others

Solitary, Which is what piles more stress and strain onto parents, who have children with additional needs. Advocating for our children forces us to be 'that parent'. I have experienced many a teacher not been able to quite be able look me in the eye or quite obviously avoid me. It is alienating and lonely. On here posts such as:

In the short term, stop criticising and second-guessing the teachers and the school

It is impossible to remember every one of the needs (both real and imagined) of every child in every class, so, instead of getting directly through to the Head, be a bit forgiving if a teacher makes a genuine error. Stop scrutininsing every word and action (both in school and outside) and demanding perfection at all times from your children's teachers. Start putting the onus on your child, and let the school management team scrutinise the teacher.

and

Assume that the teacher knows more about education than you (they have trained in it, after all) and trust them to teach your child in a way they, the expert, have deemed most suitable.,

makes a parent, who is forced to advocate for their child just feel worse. I never wanted to be put in such an adversarial position. I know that teachers are protecting their own jobs and interests but when this has been to the detriment of my child's education and wellbeing, it is of very little comfort. Misappropriating funds away from the innocent and vulnerable cannot really be ever easily defended.

It is extremely short sighted if teacher assumes, just because a child possess some additional needs, that they can not be part of that %

I agree this is true not just for children with additional needs but also those who are in the no mans land that is bottom set.

However, I do not blame individual teachers for this. There are so many hoops to jump and boxes to tick it is impossible to meet everyone's needs. I believe in most instances that teachers are doing the best they can but with so much expected of them some kids in the class will undoubtedly miss out.

'I agree this is true not just for children with additional needs but also those who are in the no mans land that is bottom set. '

Or those that are in group three, just under par but with a bit more support could be thriving and achieving and making progress that they will be able to sustain.
So you put your TA support there. Higher yield. Because the outcome is greater, the impact on those children something that will be measurable as a % increase in your data.

No idea if this ever helps make life easier for my DD's teachers but it's always been my approach. Read any letters that are sent home, encourage your child to take responsibility for their homework and school books, listen when you go to parents evening, ask what you can do at home to help. Keep them informed of anything that they need to know (if they really need to know. Be supportive. Say thank you to them for taking your child on a school trip. Trust that they know what they are doing (and if you think they don't, don't make their life hell as they will be scrutinised closely by the senior management team who how to observe and manage teachers) and pick up any perceived shortcomings at home if needed.

Unfortunately the government has changed the goalposts.

Most teachers IME became teachers to help young people learn. This of course includes thinking of the individual child's needs with or without particular additional needs.

The government want us to treat pupils as statistics and data leading to SLT focusing on particular demographics such as the C/D borderline. If pupils do not reach their targets (in England) this affects their pay and progression.

Parents are naturally concerned about the progress of their own child. This is in direct opposition to what the government wants schools to do.

Unfortunately there are also some parents who see school as childcare only and have little interest in their child's educational performance or behaviour in school, except to complain when they are pulled up for it in any way.

In my opinion the best things parents can do to support teachers are:
1 Complain to your MP about the direction education policy (and indeed other public services) is taking. Your children are not statistics and should not only be measured on their outcomes.

1. Make your school choice on a range of issues not just results and Ofsted reports (in which results are hugely influential). Quality of teaching, pastoral care and value added are equally if not more important than the bottom line
2. Support teaching staff when they are protesting regarding changes in education. We are only allowed to strike in relation to pay and terms so that is always the given reason for strike. However the other reasons are usually more important to teachers. Read the full reason why strikes are happening and show support for teachers trying to ensure that education benefits your child rather than the short term pain of organising childcare for a day or 2.

4 Support schools in upholding rules particularly regarding behaviour. It benefits all pupils to have a calm and safe learning environment.

This does not mean you should never complain- some posters here have very genuine complaints about how their child's issues have been handled however the thread is about how parents can support teachers in supporting your children.

meant to add, this might not apply if your child has SEN. I have no idea about that, it's just what I think has worked with my DDs.

Or those that are in group three, just under par but with a bit more support could be thriving and achieving and making progress that they will be able to sustain.

I agree Solitary, this is especially evident in Y6 when all the energy and focus seems to be about the top sets are being pushed and stretched to achieve. Meanwhile those in the middle/ lower sets are not pushed or supported to the same extent. In fact my DD even went as far as to say they were 'ignored' in Y6 as the teacher focused on the top sets and the TAs assisted the other sets.

I am an Irish primary teacher so can answer questions.

Teachers in the Republic are paid by the department of ed, not the school. School budget doesn't apply for teacher pay but pupil numbers and applications for resource do.
They do have Croke Park hours (a certain number of after/before school hours) to meet, and they do have school inspections by the department. There has recently been talk of giving schools more autonomy and budgets.

For young teachers it can take many years to be made permanent.
The unions have sold young teachers down the river (much lower payscales) and tbh, there are too many colleges training teachers. So they leave for the UK as headhunting for Irish teachers is intense. Most don't see it

Grr, hit post too soon. Most don't see it as permanent, but as a job for a few years. We've all heard how shit the English system is.

Meanwhile those in the middle/ lower sets are not pushed or supported to the same extent.

This is a slightly different issue though. The thing is if children with additional needs and a Statement or ECHP do not receive the support detailed, which individualised funding is often set aside for, it is not simply potentially detrimental to their wellbeing and education, it is unlawful. When their individualised funds and resource is diverted away from them, and not declared, not agreed by anyone qualified to make that decision, it is fraudulent.

Equally children who are acknowledged as 'gifted and talented', have additional academic needs, in that the material most usually taught to their cohort will not stretch them enough.

The generalised teaching is already supposed to be pitched towards those in 'the middle', so in this way, it is understandable that less resources are put aside to support them.

So whilst I understand the sentiment behind the comments posted, it is also a stance that is problematic for parents whose children have additional needs. Taken to extremes, it means any additional support is seen as 'unfair' because 'serving the needs of largest group of people' is prioritised.

I'm a SfL teacher in Scotland and yes, if staff are off I have to become the supply teacher. If I'm planning and marking for a class, I'm sure as hell not getting my own job done. I try not to stress now and direct any queries from parents to the SMT. Often they've all been covering classes too. My DH goes nuts that I get punted into random classes with little or no notice, but what's to be done? Supply teachers were shafted years ago and voted with their feet. I can't say I blame them.

'Taken to extremes, it means any additional support is seen as 'unfair' because '

Over the years, I've met a lot more parents who think that than teachers.
Parents who resent extra time, support and resources spent on children with additional needs, parents who object to some children being in MS as they distract and disrupt and harm their children. Parents who think of children with SEND as 'other'.
I've met a lot of teachers firefighting for those children and standing between them and the criticism, refusing to let parents set the criteria they feel should rule the classroom. Trying to meet everyone's needs and taking the impossibility of that home with them.

I'm really sorry you have had a bad time Capsium, if there have been funds misappropriated then I'd report it straight away. In what way was the resources meant for your child misused?