Am I just rubbish at my job or is my boss difficult ?

[Crystal1981]

We have a new HOD this year (I work in a secondary school). I was fond of the old one, but she left in July.

The new one certainly has a lot of zest and is very passionate about the job but I feel like she has a temper and overreacts. She gets worked up over everything and is very nitpicky.

The first week, she told me my shoes were not appropriate even though I had worn them for a full year and nobody had ever commented on them.

She informed me one Monday that I would be required to welcome visitors that Friday. I told her the next day that I couldn't as i'd been asked to cover somewhere else.
She replied that I would be needed for the visitors and so next time, i'd need to make sure I organised things more in advance (even though she had only told me the day before).

On another occasion, I was meant to take two hearing impaired (but not SEN)students out of one lesson for an intervention.

I informed their teachers in advance but forgot to inform the 2 students.
She had a go at me in the staffroom, saying that HI students need to be informed of changes in advance because they hate any disruption to their routine and cannot cope.
I should have done but, am I wrong in thinking that being hearing impaired has absolutely nothing to do with routine ? I can understand her staying this for students on the autistic spectrum.

I one day asked her if she had seen a folder because the colleague whose role I was taking over had put it in a cupboard and I couldnt see it. She replied, WHAT ?! And looked at me like I had 3 heads, and again overreacted to what didn't need to be made into a drama.

I actually found a job very close to my home, with better hours and pay. I do like the school but this seemed like a fantastic opportunity and would save hours of commuting.

Upon finding out, she called me into her office and essentially berated me for being selfish for attending an interview.
Then changed her tune saying I should go for it if I wanted to. I didn't go in the end but found out a week later another colleague also had an interview, and was not treated in this manner.

Now, just before the holidays we have received an email stating that some data work we did was out of date, and that this was unacceptable and our work was not good enough, and very disappointing and needed to be rectified immediately. I re read it and I had admittedly done one or two incorrectly which i immediately changed, and apologised for.

However, the other parts were something she had specifically said we didn't need to change and my colleague also pointed this out. I emailed this to her politely pointing out what she had said, and no reply.

She has also sworn about a senior member of staff in front of us.

I overheard her saying she has issues which make her prone to anger, and she can at times be very encouraging and supportive.

Maybe she's just stressed in her new role but so far I am not really enjoying working under her. Or am i just more incompetent than I realised ?
Do I need to get over it and get on with things ?

It sounds like she's trying to assert her authority. Presumably you're learning support or something similar? I wonder if she thinks you're beneath her in some way (some HODs have a serious superiority complex).

Just shut her down every time she makes a ridiculous comment.
Remember she's still only human and you don't have to be treated like shit.

Yes I am learning support ! Trying to exert her authority seems to ring true. At times she can be very supportive and encouraging, I just find her unprofessional on the whole and I don't imagine her speaking to senior staff members in the same way..

Sounds like a bit of a nightmare OP!
I used to work in school and found that a supportuive HoD and the rest of a department is more important that kids you teach- if you have little support and your line manager is mainly caught up with their own problems/how they present themselves to higher ups, it's really difficult. A good HoD is an umbrella and shelters their staff (within reason). If they have issues with work, there are ways to deal with it. I ocasionally would forget something, my HoD would just say to remember next time and that was that.
With new HoD there always be a period of adjustment, as they will want to make their mark and do certain things their way, but it seems your one is a bit of a bully and maybe very insecure in her job, so things they need to be a bully to look strong and decisive. If I were you I'd be looking elsewhere.

She sounds like a cow I'd be offski

Thanks for the replies. Yeah, I may start looking elsewhere and just have to deal with the grief I will get from her for doing so.
It's a shame how one person can really change your overall job satisfaction, just hoping to not have this in future jobs..

Unfortunately it can be the case, which is a shame if you like the school and know the kids already. May be worth (if you want to- and are prepared to potentially make things worse) either raise it with someone within the school, or union if you are in one, maybe they can offer some sort of mediation. How are other people in your dept with her? If you get more people saying the same thing, more chances of success!