Don’t know what to do about TA and her behaviour

[RickOShay]

I work in a primary school in a lowly position. On two separate occasions I have seen a TA manhandle children in Year one, so children of five or six. She pulled one child off the ground by his wrist because he pushed into the queue and another child she pulled back by the hood of her coat when she turned away while the TA was telling her off.
Should I take this further?

I’mguessing you didn’t report it then?

So the school failed on safeguarding and you left a disclosure to not be investigated.
Some schools can be horrendous. I've worked in one. Never again. But there is a professional duty to keep children safe.

Schools should be doing safeguarding refreshers. However (and it is a big however) professionals working with children have a responsibility to keep them safe and anyone who has spent any time in any environment knows the basics (which is largely common sense and doesn'r require training - as shown by how many people are saying it in here). If they don't then I really question whether they should be working in a school. That's not school's fault. That is basic lack of common sense.

I know that it brutal but it's the truth.

I understand that it's hard but you are making excuses for why you haven't reported. It is really irresponsible if you have waited another day, and honestly although it doesn't alter the things you're reporting it does call your judgement into question and makes dealing with the event much harder because the quality of a memory declines over time. Did you make a note at the time?

I feel so cross that anyone working with children could behave in this way. The longer you leave it the worse it gets. Just bloody report it!

Don't think I'd be particularly keen on a dinner lady calling my ability to manage behaviour into question, and making suggestions to the Head.

Me neither leccy.
That's why I think we have to focus on the need to report a safeguarding issue rather than getting involved in whether people at work do/don't like the OP. I certainly get the impression that they could easily have rubbed colleagues uo the wrong way.

I have emailed the headteacher.

Thank goodness for that. Let us know how things proceed.

Nothing so far.

I have a meeting tomorrow.

I hope you are listened to.

Me too

Good luck, be calm, and remember this is about the specific concerns you have about safeguarding. Don't stray into other issues.

I find it hard to be calm and factual without coming across as cold, I think I am as ready as I can be, funnily enough this thread has helped.

The headteacher did say ‘if you felt it was an issue’, which I find a bit worrying, I don’t think it is an issue, it is. This was on the email.

Maybe make notes and write up the discussion afterwards? To make it very clear the exact incidents you discussed. You have to be dispassionate when discussing safeguarding. Don't worry about sounding clinical.

The headteacher did say ‘if you felt it was an issue’, which I find a bit worrying, I don’t think it is an issue, it is. This was on the email.
That tells us nothing.

It could be 'if you felt it was an issue then i'm happy to discuss it but why didn't you follow safeguarding procedures by recording the incident and passing a concern form to the nominated safeguarding lead?'

A fragment of a sentence tells us very little. The head may well be being tentative because he has a member of staff who doesn't get on with others, has raised a few things with him and then has seen something which should be a black and white report it issue but has sat on it over the weekend.

Today i had a safeguarding concern about a child (based on an event out if school so no immediate danger). My concern was in my lesson this morning. Within 15 mins of the lesson ending I had a form filled in and within 90 mins of lesson ending the form had been given to the safeguarding lead in person. If i tried to write thay concern form now there's not a chance i could recall it all in detail.

Only offering some reasons the head may be hesitant.

I have already written down both times, thanks, I will try not to worry, just hope there is a positive outcome.

Ok thanks Maisie.

I have already written down both times, thanks,

And you waited for bloody ages to pass it on. Writing it fine does absolutely nothing.

Fine = down

The head is probably thinking you weren’t too worried if you didn’t actually do anything about it

You’ve done the right thing. Disgusting behaviour and those that don’t like you probably don’t like you because either;

• they are the ones exhibiting disgusting behaviour or,
• they are the ones that should be dealing with the said behaviour and can’t be bothered, choosing to be annoyed with you for bringing it to their attention instead!

What a horrible environment to work in and be taught in.

I agree Palava. Children’s behaviour is ‘disgusting’ because they are not queuing in a straight line.

It is the worst place I have ever worked in by far.

Headteacher didn’t show up.

Very frustrating for you OP but don't give up. Hopefully the head teacher will contact you to reschedule the missed appointment

Maybe now you just need to go over them. Google the number for your councils mash team. The number should be on your schools safeguarding team posters but if not Google it or phone nspcc to make an anonymous complaint if that feels safer. Every member of staff has a responsibility to act and if you feel nothing is being done then it is your responsibility to take it further. Keep the emails as evidence you have tried within the school.