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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To expect a French teacher to be able to speak french

277 replies

SandyY2K · 09/05/2017 19:34

Why would a school get a supply teacher to replace the French teacher who can't speak the language?

My DD mentioned that prior to her GCSEs last year, they had some lessons with a supply teacher and he didn't know a thing.

Same thing with my other DD. She's mentioned having a chemistry teacher and a teacher for another subject who didn't know the subject and just handed out worksheets. When anyone asked a question, the teacher said they didn't know the answer.

Would it be unreasonable of me to contact the school about this? Any teachers? What do you think?

OP posts:

Emphasise · 09/05/2017 19:35

No, it's not ok, but you try recruiting a science or MFL teacher.

WonkoTheSane42 · 09/05/2017 19:37

This happens when there are no qualified subject teachers on the supply list. The class has to have a registered teacher with them so in these situations a non subject specialist has to be drafted in. In my school the disruption this causes is spread through the department so that all classes get some specialist teaching each week. It's a pain in the arse and the school will have had no choice.

PeaFaceMcgee · 09/05/2017 19:38

Yeah, I heard secondary teachers have to cover two or three subject areas. They don't know it, just deliver the materials and they jem up a bit when doing lesson plans.

Seriously considering home ed as I could probably do a better job!!

CurbsideProphet · 09/05/2017 19:38

They'll probably be Cover Supervisors, not supply teachers. I did it for a short time. Essentially just crowd control, standing at the front of the classroom. £50 per day compared to £160 per day for a supply teacher.

WonkoTheSane42 · 09/05/2017 19:40

Seriously considering home ed as I could probably do a better job!!

Aye, good luck.

DermotOLogical · 09/05/2017 19:40

Welcome to the education system.

Try recruiting an MFL teacher. Then come back to the thread.

PeaFaceMcgee · 09/05/2017 19:41

Thanks

PurpleDaisies · 09/05/2017 19:43

I don't know about MFL but it's almost impossible to recruit science teachers at the moment.

Anasnake · 09/05/2017 19:52

There is a massive recruitment crisis and teachers are leaving in droves.

Letseatgrandma · 09/05/2017 19:55

-They'll probably be Cover Supervisors, not supply teachers. I did it for a short time. Essentially just crowd control, standing at the front of the classroom. £50 per day compared to £160 per day for a supply teacher.

Yep-either a CS or they just can't get a qualified teacher because the job is a mess and teachers are leaving in droves. I'm sad to say that parents will have to get used to this.

ForalltheSaints · 09/05/2017 19:57

Merde! Zut alors! Ce n'est pas bon.

There is a former drama teacher you could approach, though she may be busy as her husband has become French President.

Siwdmae · 09/05/2017 19:57

I think I'd be terrified if I had DC with supply teachers. I've heard far too many horror stories and I can't remember ever managing to find a decent specialist supply.

On a related note, I don't think having an NQT is necessarily a terrible thing, but having just done the A level French speaking, which an inexperienced teacher could easily fuck up for the students, I'd be really unhappy to know my child's teacher had never done the exam before. For the GCSE, I've prepared lots of vocab revision/acquisition games, plus examiner traps from over the years. Supply or even inexperience at this stage of the year would be terrifying. I think I'd want the timetable juggled to try to accommodate exam groups, tricky in my school where there are 3 GCSE groups run by the 3 MFL teachers unless there's a possibility of amalgamating two groups.

No, it's not ok, but you try recruiting a science or MFL teacher

I'm in the south east and short listed the MFL candidates I wanted to interview recently. This is the first year I've had a good field, but I do wish the Universities would tell the recruitment agencies to sod off. There were even more excellent sounding candidates, but the fee to release them from the agency is huge.

Seriously considering home ed as I could probably do a better job

Knock yourself out, love. I know I couldn't attempt to teach one of my non-specialist subjects. I'm sure you'd be great at everything.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 09/05/2017 19:57

2 people applied for a maths vacancy at my secondary school recently. Both were interviewed then one rang in and said she'd decided to stay where they were, so they had no choice but to give it to the other one. It's not my department so I don't know if the candidate was any good or not, but yes, secondary teacher recruitment is in a horrifying state. I don't think parents have any clue how bad things are.

JJBum · 09/05/2017 19:58

Sounds like cover supervisors. They are brought in when a teacher has left work for the class and so, theoretically, the cover supervisor is there to follow the teacher's instructions and for class room management. The only requirement is a degree and you can be asked to cover any subject. Usually they work through a supply agency. £80-100 a day, so cheaper than a qualified subject teacher. It's work often done by those wanting to get onto a PGCE course or by qualified teachers doing supply work who may take cover supervisor roles rather than nothing.

I've done it. It's soul destroying.

PurpleDaisies · 09/05/2017 19:59

I'd be really unhappy to know my child's teacher had never done the exam before

Er, everyone has to do an exam for the first time once...

TheFifthKey · 09/05/2017 20:02

Well, not one English teacher has done the new GCSE exam, and they're quite different to the ones we will have sat as well, so that doesn't mean much.

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 09/05/2017 20:07

Je suis prof de la geographie et je parle français, mais je ne travaille plus.

Aussi c'est une longtemps depuis j'etude la français donc je fais des beaucoup des erreurs.

TheFallenMadonna · 09/05/2017 20:07

I keep having to teach for exams I'very never taught for before. Because they keep bloody changing them. I would love a bit of the stability that is being lauded at the moment to extend to education...

KickAssAngel · 09/05/2017 20:14

je suis un rock-star.

Siwdmae · 09/05/2017 20:17

Er, everyone has to do an exam for the first time once...

Er, yes, thanks, obviously. As I said, I'd be very unhappy if I knew it was the teacher's first time.

With respect to the new exam and it being the first time, not even the exam board seem to know what they're talking about, it's a bloody disaster. I'm not sure it matters what we do! (Joke!) Latest advice from AQA for the French GCSE, photocard where students have to say 4 different sentences: It's fine for students to use 'Il y a' (there is) at the start of each sentence and they will still get the marks, but it isn't recommended. Right, then....

PurpleDaisies · 09/05/2017 20:24

Er, yes, thanks, obviously. As I said, I'd be very unhappy if I knew it was the teacher's first time.

I don't understand what point you're making. It doesn't matter if it's their first time as long as you don't know?

notangelinajolie · 09/05/2017 20:34

Something very wrong is going on in education at the moment and I am very worried about it. Like the NHS, our education system is at breaking point and I'm very fearful for our children's future. Never mind Brexit - pre-election, I'm listening very carefully to what our politicians have to say about what they are going to do about schools and hospitals. One of my DC's is a teacher sharing a house with 2 other teachers - both of them have just been made redundant and are now moving to other parts of the country for work. Not only is she stressed about the job she is now worried about how she is going to manage living on her own.

Other DC is in year 11 taking IGCSE in Biology and Chemistry next week. She began year 10 doing double GCSE Science. No science teachers from the very begininning of year 10 - her (bottom) set were taught by a succcession of supply teachers. The kids performed so badly in their ISA's that the school scrapped the whole of year 10 GCSE and replaced it with a 1 years IGSCE for year 11. Once again - no Science teacher since September. This year she is being taught by a TA who covers all three science subjects. We live in one of the best education authorities in the UK - it is considered a good school with supportive parents and well behaved kids and it is trully shocking how our children an being let down like this.

notangelinajolie · 09/05/2017 20:38

Sorry, badly worded last sentence sounds awful. I submitted too soon. Not meant to sound the way I typed it

MatildaTheCat · 09/05/2017 20:40

My friend teaches design and photography at a comprehensive school.

Her mother is Spanish so when they need cover she has to teach Spanish. She has had children so had to teach child development. Since she's had children I guess she's had sex so I guess sex education will be her next specialist subject.

jellyfrizz · 09/05/2017 20:47

Maybe people will only realise when their own children are left without a teacher for their GCSEs.

People assume it's just teachers moaning about the job - nope, thousands of teachers are leaving because the education system is so messed up.

I taught overseas for years, loved it and felt I was really helping children achieve. I lasted a year and a half in state back in England before I had to leave. It's not about the children, it's about ticking boxes and providing data.

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