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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

No senior teachers at school?

61 replies

button10 · 19/10/2016 10:04

I've just been into school to report something important. The acting head has gone on a trip and so has the deputy head, AIBU to think this isn't right?

I wonder how ofstead would react?

OP posts:

MiaowTheCat · 19/10/2016 10:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lilyboleyn · 19/10/2016 10:06

There will have been someone in charge, I imagine a senior teacher (different from head and deputy).
If your something important wasn't life threatening they would have wanted you to wait to speak to the head/dep rather than the senior teacher.

Am fed up of all this teacher/school bashing.

myownprivateidaho · 19/10/2016 10:10

Not sure why the head or deputy head need to be there at all times. Businesses don't collapse everytime a CEO goes off for a Friday morning golf sesh! I think you're misunderstanding the role tbh.

chowchowchow · 19/10/2016 10:12

In a school there would tend to be: Head, Deputy Head then a number of Assistant Heads. All are capable of running a school for a short time while the Head is out.
Plus it's Ofsted, not Ofstead and they wouldn't have a problem

EdmundCleverClogs · 19/10/2016 10:13

There are senior teachers at the school though, just none available to speak to you this morning (obviously). This is why you ring ahead (no pun intended), to find out the best time to catch teachers. Otherwise they're, you know, teaching.

MrsJayy · 19/10/2016 10:13

A HT or deputy does not have to be in school all the time school won't collapse into chaos if your complaint was urgent you could have spoken to someone was it urgent?

MidniteScribbler · 19/10/2016 10:14

Have you ever considered making an appointment?

JockTamsonsBairns · 19/10/2016 10:15

It's not a given at all that there'll be a member of management on site. I've just taken my dcs out of a school which seems to be run on a fairly chaotic basis. Very small village school with four classes, HT been off sick since Dec 2015 so HT from another school six miles away is 'keeping an eye on things', there isn't a deputy head, reception class and Y3/4 class both have supply teachers, Y1/2 has a teacher in her PCGE year. Only Y5/6 has a qualified permanent teacher. I'm not into 'school bashing' at all, quite the opposite in fact, but I would bash this particular school - it's in a complete mess.

CitySnicker · 19/10/2016 10:18

Umm...we only have a head. If she's out we have a 'responsible person' who is just a teacher that will make the required phone calls if need be. No extra training and will be teaching during school hours. Very often no front office staff in either. The joys.

Original poster

button10 · 19/10/2016 10:20

I was told they won't be back until tomorrow. There was no suggestion made about who I COULD actually talk to. Some matters do need dealing with swiftly.

lily I'm sick of being bashed by the school!

Whilst the deputy has been on this 3 day residential trip my son has been taught by a supply teacher instead. The head joined them on the trip yesterday so wasn't really needed. Why couldn't the head stay and teach my son's class and save them the disruption and the school money?

OP posts:

CitySnicker · 19/10/2016 10:20

Surely the council is responsible, jock

DanyellasDonkey · 19/10/2016 10:23

At my school, if the HT and DHT are both out of school, nobody is technically in charge as there are no other teachers in promoted posts.

ImperialBlether · 19/10/2016 10:25

Do you think the head was on the trip for fun? Where were they - in Blackpool?

Please don't suggest to your head teacher that he/she acts as a supply teacher whenever anyone is off sick. Just don't do it.

Shadowboy · 19/10/2016 10:28

We have an estates manager and a first aid manager.

there are also 3 directors of faculty areas so plenty of responsible people.

Sometimes it's good for the head to go on residentials with pupils as it's good for students to see his/her presence.

Our two deputies are currently out- visiting other 'outstanding' schools to exchange management methods.

MidniteScribbler · 19/10/2016 10:29

I'm pretty sure that three days of a supply teacher is not going to prevent your child getting into Oxford.

MrsJayy · 19/10/2016 10:29

The HT would have been at the trip as a member of staff not on a jolly . Do you think supply teachers shouldn't be used in school s

ChrissieS79 · 19/10/2016 10:52

I assumed this was a permanent thing, not an issue if it's just for a day or two

blueskyinmarch · 19/10/2016 10:52

What sort of important thing did you need to report today that couldn’t wait until tomorrow? Did you explain to the front office staff the nature of your visit so they could find someone else to speak to if they felt it needed dealt with today? Maybe you should put your concerns in an e mail to the school then they can pass them on to the relevant person?

harderandharder2breathe · 19/10/2016 11:01

Did you tell anyone the nature of the issue so they could direct you to an appropriate person? Or did you just demand to speak to the head or deputy head?

I take Brownies and Guides away regularly and while I enjoy it for the pleasure the girls get out of it, it's certainly not a jolly! I'm sure school trips are like that too.

ilovesooty · 19/10/2016 11:16

Oh do contact Ofsted OP. You're obviously dying to.

JoJoSM2 · 19/10/2016 11:29

YABU. I can't see what you deem to be that super urgent. Teachers do go on trips or they might be off sick, at a wedding etc.

Every school will have a designated person if a safeguarding issue arises for example, and people to deal with first aid.

I can't see what could be so urgent that you can't wait a day or two or even a week.

BatmanLovesMarmite · 19/10/2016 11:48

Residentials are very hard work. A TA who is also a parent came along to our last one. She was shocked at there being absolutely no down time for adults at all. Nothing. It sounds like you think the Head and the DH are on a jolly. I would say they are keeping the children safe.

By the way - we only have a HT. If he's off, one of the teachers is in charge.

Balletgirlmum · 19/10/2016 11:53

Is it a primary or secondary school.

I had to go into ds's school to report a serious safeguarding incident. The head & head of pastoral were out so another deputy saw us instead.

If it had been primary school I would have expected for example the head of infants to see us is both the head & deputy were out. There will be someone if its that important, if not then it can wait until they are back. If there isn't someone then I would contact the local authority.

viques · 19/10/2016 11:55

Do remember to put a note in your diary so that when your son goes on his residential the school sends him away to a strange place to stay overnight with unknown supply teachers to avoid this disgraceful situation arising again.

chickenowner · 19/10/2016 12:12

There will be assistant heads or senior teachers but they will be teaching.

Not all supply teachers are rubbish, I'm a supply teacher and am extremely experienced. In fact I used to be senior management.

I am also completely sick of all the bitching about schools and teachers. Maybe you should train to become a teacher so you can show us all how it should be done.

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