4 different teachers!

[1234cakes]

My 8yr old child has had 4 different sub teachers since September, my child is quite anxious and takes awhile to adjust to new changes, I understand things are difficult with the pandemic and her actual teacher may have health issues which she is unable to return so that is totally understandable, I just feel it is unfair on her class to keep chopping and changing the teachers, do you think I would be being unreasonable if I emailed the school and asked them to take that into account for next September and try to ensure they have a permanent sub or a teacher that has a good track record for attending?

I’m sure they’ll appreciate your advice and be sure to get out the crystal ball for September’s staffing plan to ensure that your child gets a teacher that won’t get pregnant, cancer, long covid or suffer any accidents or bereavements...

And a ‘good track record for attending’?!! Dear oh dear. There another thread running at the moment where some people feel it’s fine for employees to take days off sick if they are really really tired-I’m presuming that wouldn’t be ok here!! .

Many heads round here cover absence with Teaching assistants-4 teachers isn’t ideal, but I’m sure your child will be fine and the head is doing all they can.

You can ask but they won’t be able to do anything. Teacher recruitment and retention is in crisis and has been for years. Just because someone from an agency says they will stay a year doesn’t mean they will or have to. Agency staff usually only have to give one week’s notice. They will be well aware of the problem.

Is it a tough school or class?

I ask because I used to work as a supply teacher. I was once booked for a term but only lasted 5 weeks due to a variety of issues.

When you're asked for feedback that would be something to raise, if you're not asked then perhaps a message to raise the concern. I am sure the head would rather avoid the situation.

My DS had five teachers in reception, my DD had 4 in yr5 (despite lockdown, 3 before Christmas). I wouldn’t dream of offering advice to the headteacher, I’m sure she knew fine well that those classes had been disrupted and it wasn’t the best for the kids.

Ask how you can help your child’s anxiety but telling them to hire a permanent sub (isn’t that a permanent teacher? Not sure why you’d want the school to waste money on agency fees for a long term supply) or a teacher with a good record of attendance (because teachers like to be ill or have issues which mean lots of time off, and can foresee the future to know when these things will happen ) is exactly why teachers are leaving in droves.

Obviously we all sit around on the first INSET day in September and plan which class we are going to disrupt this year, who is going to catch COVID( two teachers so far) who is going to have serious long COVID( just the one but they've been absent for 4 months now), which one will have a mental health crisis( for some reason, that's quite common in schools) or who will get pregnant this year( mainly young female workforce so that ones not too hard to arrange, is it?) Then we as the supply agencies just to send us the ones that only want short term supply( because long term supply has all the drawbacks of permanent staff and not many of the advantages,) and avoid the ones who are doing supply until they get a permanent post.
It's a laugh a minute😩

Agency staff usually only have to give one week’s notice.
Supply staff can leave whenever they want. They don't have to come back the next day if they don't want to.

And schools can let them go whenever they want too as long as they haven't been there for twelve weeks.

@1234cakes I think the problem is you can’t predict it. I planned my first pregnancy so I finished the year with a class and otherwise have had a week off in 7 years. Usually very reliable but school couldn’t have predicted an accidental pregnancy that’s had me on bed rest since about 16 weeks, in the same way I couldn’t!

Jeeze, I'm a teacher yet think the replies on here are really unfair.

Yes, I'm sure it's unavoidable, but any parent would be concerned about a child having four different teachers in such a short period of time.

Yes OP, I'd get in touch with the head if you think your child is struggling. But just ensure that you make it clear that you're aware that they will have had no option.

As for September, in a have to face conversation I think it's something that could easily be brought up in a reasonable relaxed way by asking how they plan to help this class of children have some consistency in the future. Bit harder in an email, but I suppose you could try.

Face to face, even

YABVU. If your child is quite anxious and takes a while to adjust to new changes then you need to be addressing that head on, not trying to find ways to not set it off.

Deal with the anxiety and the resilience so they can cope with change, because change is a huge part of life and you will be doing them a disservice if you allow them to go into adulthood having shielded them as much as you can from change.

It’s no ones fault (life happens) but it is really rubbish. We had a similar situation and it took our DC a whole academic year to stabilise. I think what annoyed me was no one acknowledging the impact it was having.

That changed the following year and his new teacher was open and explained all the additional emotional support they were putting in place for the class.

As others have said, you can’t change this unstable situation, but you can push for the school to put in extra support and at least be frank about the situation.

My child has had 16 teachers since reception - he’s in year 2. Not to mention endless TAs. It’s stupid, our school can’t seem to retain a teacher.

YANBU to be concerned
YABU to think the head is not concerned, to think your child's class is the only one disrupted and to think the head can actually do anything about this

It was a pretty exceptional year this year with COVID, shielding and the mental health fall out of all this. School staffing has been a nightmare. Getting supply teachers at all has been very difficult.
Email if you want to but it's really a waste of your time.

Unreasonable to email, reasonable post pandemic or when you can speak to the head or deputy to ask, and observe how difficult it has been for your child and others. Frame the conversation about what you will do as well, it's not just for the school to help.

Regardless of the outcome you do need to deal with your child's inability to adapt reasonably to change.

We've been saying for years that retention is hard but are ignored. Instead we get advice about silent corridors or a new format to fill in fir pupil premium to prove how we are spending money.
I've been out to advert three times for a vacancy this year - no takers. No-one wants to work in schools at the moment. Add to that people who have been shielding, isolating, ill etc and you have a nightmare. I fully understand your concerns - I share them for many children but having to reply to lengthy emails, when also covering the absences myself or organising cover is frustrating when there is no answer. Address the anxiety with school as others have suggested. I do hope you get it sorted.

Of course YANBU. Write a respectful but concerned email. You are your child's advocate.

You won't be the only one either but if no-one makes noise, they don't need to give it the focus they should.

You could contact your governors as well. As a last resort, if you are not happy with the school, consider changing. Never ever put the school ahead of your dc's need no matter how many grumpy teachers tell you to shut up and put up. Never.

At worst, someone at school will roll their eyes, and so what?

@1234cakes

My 8yr old child has had 4 different sub teachers since September, my child is quite anxious and takes awhile to adjust to new changes, I understand things are difficult with the pandemic and her actual teacher may have health issues which she is unable to return so that is totally understandable, I just feel it is unfair on her class to keep chopping and changing the teachers, do you think I would be being unreasonable if I emailed the school and asked them to take that into account for next September and try to ensure they have a permanent sub or a teacher that has a good track record for attending?

You do realise there’s a difference between being ill on a long term basis and ‘having a good track record of attendance’?! I have a good attendance record but I’m currently too ill to teach and, no, it’s not fair on my exam classes. I feel that guilt every day that I’m absent but it’s not like an office job where you can nip off to the loo or sit down and take it easy if you’re exhausted.

I don’t know exactly what new information you think you’ll be giving to the school? Of course they know it’s not ideal and of course they’ve already worried about the effects on the class and this will already have been factored into staffing and timetable for the next academic year. You can let them know you’re annoyed but short of the teacher making a recovery I don’t know what else you think they can do.

I’m a T.A. OP you’ve been given a hard time here and I’ve no idea why! Yes it’s hard to recruit and retain teachers, but that’s not your child’s fault and children have had a shit enough year of education without the inconsistency of constantly changing teachers.
It’s ok for you to say that to the Head and it’s important that they acknowledge that to parents. I’m amazed the Head hasn’t already apologised to parents for the disruption to that particular class and offered support to those who need it. That’s just basic good communication.
The school can’t wave a magic wand, but they can acknowledge a very unsatisfactory situation.
And I wish people would stop making this about an 8 year old child’s “lack of resilience” ffs!! Lots of kids would struggle with constantly changing teachers! Consistency is important.

YABU because the school will already be doing everything they can do put a permanent teacher in place.

I’m really surprised by the responses here. I’d be really concerned re 4 teachers plus home schooling and I’d be after reassurance that the school were planning to ensure a consistent TA at the very least and slt keeping a close eye on the class. Imo year 4 is the year that gets the least love and attention (guessing age 8 is in year 4). There are things schools can do and many dc will be struggling and is perfectly acceptable to ask the school to work with you to help your dc.

I get that teachers are really stressed, and I couldn't be more grateful to be recently retired. But being a teacher didn't stop me being worried about my own child's schooling, even with the background knowledge. Those of you making it at the OP aren't doing the profession any favours, and if it was your child, you'd be concerned too.

When we had a similar situation at my school (I was head of dept) we proactively got in touch with the parents of that class, to acknowledge the problem, and take them of the steps that we were taking to mitigate the problem (consistent TA, HoD checking in etc) just to reassure them.
Something like that would probably help parents like the OP and forestall a flood of emails.

Making it? Lashing out. Thanks autocorrect.

I’m a teacher and I think it is fine to email about your concerns. Most children would find that many different teachers unsettling and it will be having an impact on the whole class. This isn’t a small thing. Sometimes it is quite useful if parents do speak up as it can help to get things done.

I'm sure that one of the many vocal people on here complaining about lazy teachers not wanting to work in schools with no proper ppe or social distancing will offer to step in to give all children the stability of one person in front of them for this term. After all, didn't we hear about the army of mums who would be willing to do just that in order to keep schools open......

Truth of the matter is teachers are human and sometimes they get ill or pregnant and they are off. It is very expensive to bring in supply teachers so the HT will be very, very aware of the problem. They don't like it any more than you do. Neither do the colleagues who will be doing their own jobs as well as setting work for classes being covered and briefing every new supply teacher with the school proceedures etc.

There really is no need to get in touch with the HT other than to raise concerns about your child's well being. They will be trying to manage covering the class as best they can already.