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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

...to expect ^some^ --any-- information from school about long-term teacher absence?

118 replies

CSLewis · 04/07/2017 13:07

KS1 teacher, has been absent since before the summer half-term.

Since then my daughter's Year 1 class has sat their Phonics test.

Two weeks ago I asked the Deputy Head what the story was regarding her class teacher, and was told a letter was going out to parents.

Still no letter, so today I asked the Head the same thing, and was told again that a letter was going out (apparently today but I'll believe it when I see it), and that she was due to have a conversation with him this afternoon about some medical results, after which she'd know more.

Head was very defensive and clearly annoyed at me for harping on about the total lack of any communication from the school about the absence (now going on 2 months) of this (very nice) teacher.

I told her that I do understand their difficulty if they don't know if/when teachers will be back from sick-leave; I also understand how difficult it can be to recruit decent staff, let alone decent cover/supply... it's BECAUSE I understand the difficulty that I'm worried about the situation of my daughter's class!

AIBU? To want to be kept informed of who is teaching my child? To think that the school could have kept us informed (in general terms, I understand the teacher has a right to privacy) as to the likely situation going forward, a little earlier on? Because it sounds like the Head thinks I am!

OP posts:

Glumglowworm · 04/07/2017 13:34

Sorry, I meant you don't need to know what's going on with that teacher

Just that another competant teacher is currently teaching your chikd

user1477249785 · 04/07/2017 13:36

Wait what? I get that it is unreasonable to expect any information about the missing teacher but from how I read it, the school hasn't even written out to say: For reasons beyond our control, Ms X KS1 teacher is currently away from work. We apologize for any inconvenience and are doing all we can to minimize the disruption for the children. We do not yet know how long she will be away but, in the meantime, KS1 will be taught by [insert arrangements here].

Surely they should have done that??

Sunnymorningwithbacon · 04/07/2017 13:38

I have kids go all the way through school to a level and I have never received a letter that said anything like that

I've never even had s letter at all about a teacher bein off.

SlothMama · 04/07/2017 13:41

YABU
What business is it of yours to know what is wrong with the teacher, fair enough knowing about her replacement. But her private medical details are nothing to do with you and if I were the head I'd find you very annoying and nosey.

Eolian · 04/07/2017 13:41

I understand that parents worry about staffing issues at their kids' school, but essentially all the school can do is cover lessons in whatever way they are able. If they can't find a permanent or suitable replacement or if they are unable to establish when or whether the usual teacher is coming back, parental complaints will not achieve anything. All they can do is their best, and they are not obliged to consult or inform parents about every staffing decision.

Redglitter · 04/07/2017 13:42

YABU it's none of your business why the teacher is off or how long they'll be off.

grasspigeons · 04/07/2017 13:43

It's quite difficult to know what the teaching arrangements will be. If they have an obvious solution like a trainee stepping up for the duration that's ok. But often if will be a bit of pulling HLTA from other places for a bit and then using a supply agency. If you are only getting weekly sick notes you can't book the same supply teacher necessarily for the whole time (they might have holiday, other bookings etc) then you might get a phased return.

It's really important to communicate and I really feel for children who struggle with change but it's not easy to say what is happening in every instance.

Eolian · 04/07/2017 13:45

They could issue a statement to parents, but they don't have to. And what would it tell the parents beyond "We don't know what's going to happen. The current replacement teacher is... currently replacing the teacher"!

Once your child is in secondary school you are unlikely to be aware of staff absence at all, unless your child happens to mention it.

OhDearToby · 04/07/2017 13:46

I think it's pretty normal to not be told anything.

My dd's teacher was off for two months and we weren't told anything (nor did we expect to be!). I trusted the school to provide appropriate cover and still teach my child which they did. Can't really ask for more than that!

SeekingSugar · 04/07/2017 13:46

Our school is actually very open and tells us who's off with a broken leg or dying parent, who's having surgery or whatever. Sometimes I think I'd rather not know bc I feel I should care that a teacher has a medical issue and I don't want to add that to my load, but other times I think it's quite nice . Everyone goes through these things.

ShmooBooMoo · 04/07/2017 13:46

Is your concern re our daughter having one supply after another, upheaval, lack of continuity? If so, I think you have a right to know whether the head intends to get one teacher in to cover if the absent teacher is going to be off long-term. I wouldn't be happy with a conveyor belt of supplies teaching my child, but it's not any business of your how long usual teacher is going to be off for, just whether the head is going to get one permanent supply in for cover if it's going to be for a longer period.

Ginslinger · 04/07/2017 13:50

I don't think the OP is asking for details of her illness but for what arrangements the school will have in place for a long-term absence - at least, that's how I read it.

steppemum · 04/07/2017 13:53

Total sympathy to you for wanting to know what it going on. But the head may be in as much as a bind as you are.

I am a governor and a couple of years ago we had this situation.

teacher in early pregnancy, had a suspected miscarriage and was off sick. Wasn't a miscarriage, pregnacy continued, but with problems. Teacher was signed off for 2 weeks. At the end of 2 weeks, she was signed off again for 2 weeks, at the end of that she was signed off again.... you get the picture
Our head is really on the ball, and she worked out cover using a part time teacher who agreed to add 2 extra days to her timetable and some jiggling. She said to us as governors, that she was pretty certain we wouldn't see the teacher again during this pregnancy, but that she was only signed off for 2 weeks at a time, and every 2 weeks she had no idea if she would be back or not.

She wanted continuity for the kids and the cover she worked out meant they had the same teacher for the whole time she was off sick, and yes, it was for the rest of the pregnancy (or until maternity cover kicked in)
It also meant we lost the part time teacher in the rest of school, who was being used for SATS groups.

The head is not allowed to tell you what is wrong with her. She may not know when she will be back. The sick teacher may not know when she will be back. This kind of situation puts the school in a horrible position, and the head can't say anything to you due to confidentiality

Sunnymorningwithbacon · 04/07/2017 13:54

But the school maybe don't know how long the teacher is likely to be off.

They will put cover in place. What more does the op need to know?

SuburbanRhonda · 04/07/2017 13:55

Our school is actually very open and tells us who's off with a broken leg or dying parent, who's having surgery or whatever.

You've got to be kidding! If I worked at your school I would report the head for this shocking breach of confidentiality.

Fl0ellafunbags · 04/07/2017 13:55

Two things:

1 It's none of your business.
2 Year one phonics screening requires children to read a list of words and identify alien words. It's not a fucking A level.

steppemum · 04/07/2017 13:56

Having said that, our head did notify the parents.
Mrs x is currently away, and the class will be covered by Miss Y until further notice.

And one time when there was a real mess with changing teachers the head called a meeting of parents from that class, apologised and explained, and was very open and honest, but it didn't involve sickness, and so someone's personal details.

Original poster

CSLewis · 04/07/2017 13:58

For all those people who don't seem to have read my OP, I asked:

AIBU To want to be kept informed of who is teaching my child? To think that the school could have kept us informed (in general terms, I understand the teacher has a right to privacy) as to the likely situation going forward, a little earlier on?

I did NOT say that parents should have been given any information about the teacher's health/situation (of course not!).

So you're all saying I'm unreasonable for wanting to be told:

A) my child is currently being taught by a (variety of) supply staff
B) this situation is ongoing, probably until the end of term

Is that right? As a parent I have no business caring/asking about who my DC are taught by?

By-the-by: parental engagement with their children's education is one of the clearest markers for how well that child will do all the way through school, and on into adult life.

OP posts:

skyzumarubble · 04/07/2017 13:58

It doesn't have anything to do with you does it though assuming that your child is being taught by appropriate cover.

Original poster

CSLewis · 04/07/2017 13:59

Many x-posts, thank you to those who understood what I was asking!

OP posts:

Original poster

CSLewis · 04/07/2017 14:00

sky - the school haven't even told us that the class is being taught by cover/supply staff, let alone if it's 'appropriate'.

OP posts:

chocatoo · 04/07/2017 14:05

I was concerned when my DDs primary teacher was off sick for an extended period but then I realised that DD was actually enjoying having a couple of different supply teachers (and took a real shine to one in particular). She was still receiving good teaching - in many ways things were better as she seemed to enjoy the variety. At secondary school they have different teachers for everything so prepared her a little for that too. In the end we regarded it as a bonus.

steppemum · 04/07/2017 14:05

The trouble is Lewis, as I said in my example, the head may not know how long the situation will go on for, and may only know week by week if she needs to find a supply for next week.

Full time supply teachers are like hen's teeth and so you may end up with a whole string of teachers, depending on what the head can get. Also they are expensive.

So I do think you and not unreasonable to want to know what is going on, but that information may not be available, or may only be available at the last minute, depending on how hard it is to cover the class.

grasspigeons · 04/07/2017 14:05

Cslewis -
I'm not saying you are unreasonable. I'm saying the school might not know.
They might only know on a Friday afternoon that a sick note has been extended from a cagey member of staff.
They will then sit down and plan the next weeks cover. The supply agency might only email the name of that cover through at 7 am on the day they are coming
I really, really understand wanting to know but there are reasons why it's not that simple.
We had a similar situation. I uses to email each Friday to say next week your child will be taught b X, y and z - but this would often change during the week anyway so it wasn't that helpful.

CryingShame · 04/07/2017 14:07

OP, I think you have a right to be unhappy if your child is being taught in a very piecemeal fashion. It may be that there's nothing they can do about that - lack of funds, staff member with recurrent sick notes etc. I would write to the school to say how poorly this absence has been handled from your perspective because of the changing staff at a time of particular stress for a KS1 class. They could have moved a permanent teacher into your DD's class and played muscial teachers with Yr 3 where they don't have tests to ensure continuity for Yr 1 and Yr 2 for phonics and SATs but they've chosen not to do so.

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