So I am Head of Department in a school and today found out that three of my closest colleagues have been to the Principal of the school and basically just done a hatchet job: made things up, exaggerated others, dragged up things from months ago; just totally malicious. I ask on a daily basis if everything is OK, answers are always 'yes, fine!'. Some of their comments are true - I am a working mum and find it hard to juggle everything with no outside help at all (no PIL). I do cut corners to get the majority of things done. It all stems from one colleague who is very bitter about something which had nothing to do with me but which she irrationally blames on me. Don't want to ever see them again, let alone work with them. Feeling totally despondent.