To be disappointed that my children’s teachers have not come into school?

[Mixedbags]

My teenagers are at secondary school in crucial years. They have said that the last 2days many teachers have not come in due to snow and the supply teachers have not been very effective. The snow fall here and within a 60mile radius (relatives and friends all over) has been close to non existent. What example does this send to our children? Snowflakes? 🤪

How do your dc know why they were off? Illness, course or other planned absence, bereavement, child's hospital appointment... Tbh without the facts you can't judge and I didn't used to tell cover teachers to pass on to the class why I was away when I was a teacher 🤔

I am pretty sure the head would know where these teachers live. They have to phone him/her and explain the reasons for not coming in.
So wind you neck in!

There’s not much snow on the main roads but on the side streets the roads and pavement are pretty bad!

I'd be surprised if the children wetter in full facts of why staff are not in. Do you think they'd tell them aboutt bereavements, work related stress, that a teacher had the runs or just tell them that it's the weather? It's not information kids are entitled to you know.

As for the supply teachers not being amazing, did you try asking your kids if they'd lied about having no work to do, not told them where the exercise books are, noir stopped talking for long enough to get the register done etc. etc?

My children were told that the reason why they had supply teachers was because of inclement weather.

Obviously. They are more likely to say that than 'you have a supply teacher today because you're usual teacher has raging thrush and is waiting for an appt in the local gum clinic', for example

@Mixedbags it was seriously dangerous in some areas yesterday. Even when there were no adverse conditions just a few miles away. I'm not a teacher and managed to get into work 3 hours after I was due because I could walk and take public transport. And then only because of a particular reason that forced me to a meeting rather than working from home I have every sympathy with those who couldn't make it

Bloody hell if kids ask why they have supply at our place they are told to mind their own bloody business! I’d be very surprised if the reason the teachers were off was shared with the kids. I’d be mightily annoyed if that happened to me

In the same way you've made some massive assumptions and judgements about teachers on the basis of no worthwhile evidence at all here, OP, you'll allow me to do the same to you.

I expect you're the type of parent who slates their kids' teachers on social media, regardless of the 'example it sets'

I expect you're the type of parent who expects teachers to be solely responsible for getting your kids to be upstanding members of their community but refuses to discipline them when they're at home

I expect you're the type of parent who allows their kid to set their own bedtime, chat on social media all night, eat whatever they like and never checks they ate breakfast before sending them to school and then moans when the teacher phones to tell you that your little darling didn't focus today and was falling asleep in class

I absolutely know you're the type to have criticised how long the school holidays are

I expect you've never sent a thank you email or end of year card to your kids form tutor

I expect nothing on this thread will change your mind and that it will just fuel your misguided belief that teachers are whingey snowflakes who should put their own safety below that of spending an hour teaching your kid (another assumption. Not nice, is it?)

Maybe a couple of the teachers might actually be off sick, and not all 8 off due to the snow.

In my role I am not allowed to use snow fall as a reason not to get in. If I can't use my car I have to send a date and time stamped photo to my employer who will then expect me to get the train and walk a mile or walk the 4 miles to work. If they are not an option or safe they can ask the police to collect us in 4x4's. If I don't go in people will potentially suffer greatly. I'm not sure teaching is as critical in the grander scheme of things.

I haven't read the full thread....BUT - if teachers are off for one day of snow and your child fails their GCSE/A level - I really don't think it was much to do with the teachers' absence!!

Where we live, most teachers live quite far from the school and if they don't a lot live in the hills ie worse snow than school. Also, yesterday when I travelled in, it was very snowy where we were (on a hill) no snow in the next village (half way down) and then TONS in the next village next to town where there was none again!! All within a couple of miles of each other. It was strange. On the way home, it was the absolute opposite with loads of snow in the clear village and none anywhere else. You just can't tell. Be nicer to teachers - it's a freakin' difficult job and we are NEVER off because we worry too much about our students and their grades...I mean, really worry.

You actually could not be more wrong!😂. However, I think you have been in teaching for too long and have a terrible opinion of parents!

I didn't make it in today due to the roads/weather.
I live on the outskirts of a major city and so don't have to worry about roads (apart from my own street) not being gritted. I didn't make it in because, on my way home from school last night at 6.30, another car collided with me due to black ice. My car is a write-off, I had to go to the police station this morning (I was told to do this when I reported last night as the other driver failed to stop), and I was pretty shaken although fortunately not injured. I would have gone in this afternoon but the head told me not to be an idiot.

None of the children will know why I was absent, as we don't tell students these things, and neither will most of the staff as I only informed the cover office and my line manager. Many people will probably have assumed my absence was due to the weather, as it's the most likely explanation.

By the way, the accident happened at a junction to a motorway, ie on one of the roads which would have been gritted multiple times during the day and yet was clearly still dangerous. Most staff in my school (at least, the ones I know about), live further away from school than me as housing in the areas close to school is unaffordable on a teacher's salary, even if you are in leadership. These people would therefore have a much harder journey and be subject to much more disruption when there's bad weather.

There are lots of reasons why staff may be absent from school. The only person who has any right (and the knowledge) to judge if these reasons are justified (and hold them to account) is the head.

Pupils are never routinely told why staff are off. It's absolutely none of their business. We have several staff absent at the moment, all with their own very good reasons. None of those reasons have been shared with the pupils or their parents. Believe me, teachers are far more likely to drag themselves into school when they shouldn't than to stay off. It's just not worth the grief.

Gigis

I just don’t get it

Well no you don't do you? You just know what some random gossip from the school (or not) has told you. And since you say that the gossip isn't a teacher they can't be the head, who is the one person able to confirm the answers to the questions I put upthread.

Do you seriously expect the children to be given details of reasons for absence? They may be given some generic or guessed reason, they don't have any need to know a reason.

The only person entitled to know reasons for absence is the person running the school (and even then, some info may legitimately be withheld). Even teachers are allowed some privacy.

Only have a terrible opinion of certain parents!

Snowflakes? 🤪

If your kids are at my school I can tell you that the missing teachers are not due to snow, even though it's been poor conditions. (And I travelled an hour and twenty minutes this morning instead of my usual 50 mins).

2 are off with bronchitis and another 1 is in hospital with pneumonia. 1 of our teachers has a partner who is dying - probably in the next week or so. Another one has a child who has just attempted suicide and another one is currently undergoing cancer treatment. We have several down with nasty bugs (probably because of the ridiculously long hours we work and how compromised our immune systems are). We are struggling to get supply in to cover at all, so sorry if they are not terribly efficient. It's mostly because your kids piss about if they are faced with a one off teacher for the day.

We just didn't pass that message on to kids. Mostly because we'd rather their parents think we're skiving sods, naturally.

We just didn't pass that message on to kids. Mostly because we'd rather their parents think we're skiving sods, naturally.

So the head has confirmed to you personally:
- the teachers who were absent
- that the reason they gave was snow
- that they all live locally
?
This ^^

It's nothing but gossip and hear say (including from your mate as believe it or not the reasons for absence aren't pinned up for all to see and discuss). Sadly all workplaces have their shit stirrers.

Plus, cover work for most classes is a task that consolidates prior learning and can be completed individually.
When I was off ill before Christmas and my y11 produced sub standard work, I didn't blame the supply teacher (even if they weren't brilliant). I was annoyed at them for thinking a supply lesson meant arse around and play dumb. They are old enough to work independently for a lesson or two.

I love about there miles from an A road down single lane country roads. Last year I confidently set off in the snow to drive 25 miles to work.
If I could have turned round and got up the hill that I had just slid down I would have done. Then I met another vehicle in the lane and had to reverse in snow and ice to let that car pass. Yes, I made it to work but never again would I take that risk. I can't see my MD patting me on the back and thanking me for writing off my car on the way in.
Sometimes it may only be the first 100 metres that is impassable although in my county only the A roads are now being gritted.

Yes Gigis and you are entitled to your opinion about parents as you have so clearly documented. I have said I am disappointed in some of the teachers if they have not come into school when there is no snow here or locally as many of my friends and family who have travelled to work locally today have confirmed. You seem really angry

Dora, sounds like my county! Sussex by the sea.

I'm in Sussex, too, Eyes. We're 300' above sea level, just off a very steep hill. We can have 3" of snow and a lethally slippery, icy road but it will be fine down by the shop, which is only about 300 yards away. It's like having our own personal microclimate.

It's only a mile to where I work, but I'm not bloody walking it. I broke my wrist slipping over on the way to work in snow 10 years ago and, despite surgery a year or so later, it'll never be pain-free or have the full range of movement. But I have brought some work home, so I can log on from home and get on with it, if the promised snow arrives and lasts till morning.

The employer's snow policy is, if you can't get in safely, work from home if your manager agrees, or from the nearest office or other establishment that you can get to safely. DP's employer has an almost identical policy.

I think expecting teachers to risk accidents or being stuck on some snowy road, like those poor buggers on Bodmin Moor, is daft. Teens should be able to revise on their own, and topics missed caught up on later. Them being off isn't a matter of life and death.