To be extremely worried about this teachers behaviour?

[Teacherrant]

Ok I will be completely honest. I've re.registered for this as I cannot risk my other posts being linked.

DS has a teacher who he doesn't like, I'm going to do my best not to out my son so apologies if this is at any point vague. Obviously I only have the children's point of view with this but I would like to know what I should do which doesn't put my son at risk and what if true school should be doing.

DS is well behaved and mostly positive in school but they really don't get on. There are no issues with any other teacher from a teacher point of view and all say he is a positive boy who struggles but remains positive. in fact at parents evening recently every other teacher found positives and she basically ripped him down
for what he had got wrong on his work Don't get me wrong he gets moaned at sometimes for forgetting homework but nothing horrendous.

He has previously reported to me that the teacher who I will call Mrs S has some issues, I believe they are under some stress at home and that teaching isn't their initial vocation. He's reported that Mrs S screams, has told them she hates their form, has told them that no one wants to teach them etc. Their class has a lot of children with SEN in and I presume they are hard work academically mine included. There have been allegations of her calling some of them pathetic, stupid etc and that some comment was made about there being no point in her coming in in the holidays for revision.

DS then reported an issue with a girl we will call Jane. Jane has some SEN and some issues relating to anxiety and leaves the classroom sometimes. SENCO team are involved.
The teacher was having another bad day a few days ago and said something like 'let's all do a Jane' and mimicked her flouncing.

Another child Sam was followed into his safe space and apparently yelled at by Mrs S too who wouldn't back down.

Yesterday two (SEN) children had allegedly been told they could revise with another teacher instead of doing a certain thing. They were on their way up and Mrs S stopped them and told them they were not allowed there. The children explained but probably with attitude and it all went off with from what I've been told the teacher absolutely losing it. Screaming at that. Mentioning and dismissing the SEN and mental health difficulties of one of them and really letting rip. The screaming attracted the attention of two other teachers who intervened.

So what I want to know is.
A) How do I find out if all or any of this is true?
B) If it is what happens next?
C) Will the teachers who intervened have a duty to report this?
D) Could I get my son reasonable removed from her class?

Obviously all or some of this could be lies but DS would gain nothing from the lies and might even get in trouble.

Could you go in informally and ask teachers about your son’s progress just to get an idea if his behaviour has changed recently? Not going to lie his story seems like a lie to me; if the teacher was really behaving like this she would have been caught out ages ago.

Unfortunately there are teachers who behave like this. I would advise you to speak to either the SENCo, the designated safeguarding lead or the head of year, and say that your son is distressed by her behaviour. Have a look at the school's complaint policy, which should be on the school website.

I'm a clerk who works in school governance and I have done meetings where teaching staff have been reported by colleagues for losing the plot with students - they are usually 'managed out' but proper procedures have to be followed. And if a parent complains, the school will investigate.

I'd ask for a meeting with the head of year and explain your concerns. I can't see how this behaviour would go unnoticed by other teachers and if she has a lot of children with special educational needs in her class then she is likely to have TAs in some of her lessons who would have witnessed this behaviour too.

I did Teddy.
Every single teacher bar Mrs S said the week before Easter that they were really pleased with him and how positive and focused he had been in year X and how it was represented in his grades.
Mrs S however pointed out every mistake he had done and basically told him he shouldn't have made those mistakes. No positive at all from Mrs S but no huge behaviour issues either.

It all sounds bonkers tbh BUT when I mentioned speaking to school he didn't back down at all and clarified what he had said with no changes. I've told him I will go to the year head and he's glad.

I would find out who the designated safeguarding lead is and report to them. If you make sure they understand you don't want your son's name involved it will be respected.

Don't rely on TA's in classes anymore - I have a class with a number of SEN students 2 of whom need help but due to staff shortages, lack of funding etc it doesn't always happen.

If your son is happy for you to speak to someone do it. It might be that they are wanting a complaint to happen to be able to do something.

I’d actually take it to the head of department for the subject as they are the line manager of the teacher. The hoy will only have to pass on your concerns to the hod, delaying things. It’s not a hoy issue if your child is doing well across the board but for one subject - it’s more a subject/teacher specific issue.

I think get it all written down and see the hoy.

From a survivor of an emotionally abusive teacher who was “stressed”, it effected me for years, still does if I’m honest. Mine cost me my Alevels and three years of botched education. It’s made me stronger in some ways and weaker in others. Help them if you can.

I think you should speak to either the school head or head of year, depending on the size of the school. Make an appointment to go in and discuss it personally, and then follow it up with an email, so that there is a paper trail of the concern having been raised by you.
It's quite likely that other people, either students,parents or staff, have raised concerns previously, especially as the behaviour is not a one-off.
There is something about the way you have written your post which is absolutely believable, and a little scary. Please don't delay in reporting your worries to the school, and don't worry about being taken seriously. All the schools I have worked in would at the very least investigate this promptly.

I’m guessing this is Secondary. If the class has a high number of kids with SEN is there a TA in the class at all? Someone who can confirm what your son has said. (I don’t mean he’s lying at all.)
I would probably go through the head of year or dept. Which do you know better? Trust more?
Kids do lie. But why would he? He’s not trying to get himself off the hook in anyway. And if all other teachers say he’s doing well then it looks like it’s an issue in this subject/with this teacher.
Ex teacher BTW.

A) How do I find out if all or any of this is true?

• Can you get in touch with the parents of other children in the class?
• See if DS is happy for you io pass this on (you have, and he is)
• There ARE teachers like this, and by the summer term many are at the end if their tether.

B) If it is what happens next?

• Write down your son’s account
• Take it with you and arrange to meet with the SENCO, Safeguarding lead, Headteacher.

-Make it clear you are not only concerned for your son but also for the teacher, as she does not sound well/is not coping. This will encourage them to investigate & take action more broadly neyond your son’s case, and will also probably confirm what they aready know.

C) Will the teachers who intervened have a duty to report this?

• They should, but they may not have. They use their own judgement.

D) Could I get my son reasonable removed from her class
-Possible but unlikely. Best hope is to trigger an investigation into her welleing/competency so she is taken away from the class as a whole (and hopefully takes time out of teaching to sort herself out).

Good luck!

Yy- take it to the head of department.

Sorry for the typos

One of my DC has SEN which can result in some low level challenging behaviors but we work very hard with the school and the SENCO to make sure all is well. My son complained about a specific member of staff... and then I happened to witness some further behaviour by them towards my son at an event which was inappropriate. I immediately organised a meeting with the head who asked me to put it all in writing. The issue has been addressed and is on file in case of any further problems. Please make a point of putting it all in writing so something can be done... that sounds utterly miserable and probably very damaging (and does not sound made up....).

This really doesn't sound like a child lying or exaggerating to me, it sounds genuine and distressing for the whole class,band probably other classes too.

It needs reporting.

Can you do this?

Ask for a meeting with the headteacher, SENCo and head of safeguarding. If you are adamant and concerned enough they will do this. You will need to contact the head of year/KS assistant or the PA to the head

Don't talk to other parents - it's widely regarded as inappropriate. Go to the HOY. I have dealt with very similar situations and the other staff were usually very concerned and willing to make statements about dodgy behaviour - and the teacher would be got rid of.

Fuk that. She sounds unhinged. Straight to the head. And actually this is a safeguarding issue. I'm a primary school teacher in an SEN school

Go straight to the head teacher. From experience talking to other parents is helpful, some will have noticed, others add puzzle pieces to make up a picture. If you are alone in your opinion, question it. But gather your information, don't bother with the in-between and head in with the information.

If two teachers cared enough to step in I'd hope they care enough to report it. I think you need to go to the HOY, DS didn't back down or change his story so I'd be inclined to think there is at least some truth in it. Your DS will have told you for a reason, some of the other children with SEN might not be able to tell someone, so you need to tell the school everything you have said here, they can investigate it.

Agree with others to get it all down in writing as to what your DS alleges has happened. Be clear with him that this will be shown to head of dept and others. I am not saying he is lying, but we all present the actions of ppl we don't like in a more negative light than others. It may be partly the case here.

It is completely irrelevant that he has been told good things from other teachers except her. He may have a better relationship with the others (it is not uncommon for a pupil to have an intense dislike of one teacher in particular, and act worse/put less effort into that class). It may be a general policy to highlight positives in meetings/reports, which this teacher does not adhere to or agree with. If the teacher has actually being behaving this badly, it will not be ignored by senior management.

Thank you that's very helpful!
From what I've heard previously sometimes there are two teachers in the class , sometimes a teacher and a TA and sometimes just the teacher alone.
The class is rather small but academically rather challenging I would imagine.

DS said when others are in the classroom she doesn't yell although sometimes will be sarcastic.
For example she has a child in her class who is quite clearly on the spectrum who will say what she sees in rather blunt manner and will openly say you alright their Miss you're being to loud, going too fast, points out that Mrs S has got the question wrong etc. Mrs S will according to DS make comments for weeks about it on a oh sorry class L is right I've done it wrong again or we all have to stop because L says I go too fast or whatever to the point L gets upset.

If it's true I will be very cross as many of those children in that class are pretty vulnerable.

I will speak to the head .

Brightlightsbigcity i totally get that about the being positive bit but at the stage DS is at I would expect some kind of feedback which suggested what he could to do improve or what he could look at/use/app suggestions , whatever which might aid in exams rather than nah it's all crap , it's all wrong and you shouldn't have got it wrong.

Please report to a senior member of staff.

A similar issue arose at my DD’s school. A Maths teacher with “anger management issues”, was reported by several parents. He was put under close supervision and “left” rather quickly after that.

Some people should not be anywhere near children.

Yes please go to the Head or a Deputy Head, not a HOY.

Brightlightsbigcity i totally get that about the being positive bit but at the stage DS is at I would expect some kind of feedback which suggested what he could to do improve or what he could look at/use/app suggestions , whatever which might aid in exams rather than nah it's all crap , it's all wrong and you shouldn't have got it wrong

Yes, so would I! Did she not suggest anything? Did you ask what you could do to help? That's a pretty standard thing for a teacher to advise on!