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 was a supply teacher for a few years after many years class based. I took over a class that had suffered with no teacher, quite a few supply teachers. I stayed with which was by that point a behaviourally challenging class and I saw them through Year 3 then Year 4 and all the kids met and exceeded their targets and their parents were extremely grateful. I wasn't offered a permanent contract, I left and I was never offered another contract...often excellent teachers can't get jobs or get offered short-term contracts with no security. I just wanted job stability I couldn't get it so I left. I now do another job, I am valued and appreciated and I have stability. There are too many reasons why teaching just doesn't work ....micromanaging, parents, kids, Ofsted, SLT, demonic Heads, crap contracts, ridiculous expectations, workload the list goes on and on...

Supply teachers, any supply teachers, can pick and choose what they want to do. In my area, they are in very short supply indeed. Last time we managed to get one, they travelled over 80 miles to get to us, there was no one available nearer! Long term supply can be impossible, the reason most teachers do supply is that they don't want all the paperwork and faff that is required of permanent teachers these days.

That is not my experience Spaniel...where I live is a very desirable area to live and each position was hotly fought over with many applicants for each position. Mind you it may be different now, I haven't taught for two years and teacher retainment has reached an all time low. There are lots of reasons Supply teachers do supply you mention one. They do it to stay out of school politics, because they can't secure a job, because it fits in around caring for children, elderly parents, to gain experience in an alternative area, to learn what schools are like in an area before applying for permanent, to gain experience as NQTs. A lot of permanent type teachers don't stay long on Supply because it is insecure, low paid and under-appreciated.

Mind you it may be different now, I haven't taught for two years and teacher retainment has reached an all time low.

This last year alone has been as bad as I have ever seen it, with lots (but not all) of the agencies either furloughing staff or not sending anyone into schools.
The added stress in Secondary alone but my child is in Primary and two weeks before Easter, had not teacher and only TA and BEd trainee could be applicable there too), to cover absent staff so goodbye to your PPA, has just been another stress on many teachers to burn them out much faster.

Supply teachers as well, have been shafted in this and too many of my supply teacher friends have been out of work for too long.

It’s a scandal that Gavin W needs to acknowledge, rather than bleat on about banning mobile phones (they already are) and spending 12 million on questionable behaviour hubs in about 10 schools.

Speaking as a Primary School Teaching Partner, I have to say that the school will be painfully aware that this is not ideal but will have undoubtedly been doing the very best they can in this current awful situation.

Just be grateful that they've managed to stay open & continue to care for your child & provide her education. Believe me, the past 12mths have been a logistical nightmare for all schools! The teaching staff have families of their own to consider (& have often been homeschooling their own children alongside teaching 30 others!) as well as their own health or any health issues within that family. With the best will in the world, trying to complete 'people jigsaw puzzles' whilst maintaining bubbles & taking a million other things into account has been a huge challenge for most schools!

I'm sure it will all settle down & be more 'normal' next academic year. In the meantime, just be supportive - don't add to their headaches by complaining about something that can't be helped.

As a side note, in a couple of short years, when your child is at Secondary School, they will have as many as 15 or so Teachers & will have at least 5 different ones over the course of every single day!

What's a Primary School Teaching Partner, @gingerbiscuits?

@saraclara

What's a Primary School Teaching Partner, *@gingerbiscuits*?

Hi @saraclara,

It's just what our school calls the more experienced TAs - it means they can use us to cover the class for weekly PPA instead of having to use another Teacher & also cover all the training & sickness absence etc without the need for Supply Teachers.

Thanks @gingerbiscuits. I retired from teaching three years ago, and wondered if I'd missed something. But it sounds like it's specific to your school.

''I'd be more concerned if DD was in her gcse year, but she's only 8.''

Many kids need every bit of help they can get as it can't be got back later.

YANBU to be worried and to ask how you can support your child.
YABU to point out to the Head the problem. They will know. YABU to think there is a solution. If there was, they would use it.
There is a teaching crisis. But, you know, there were tons of mumsnetters who were saying teachers are lazy and workshy and should be willing to work with no distancing or PPE through a pandemic (probably one of the reasons for the high sickness rates among teachers atm). So don't worry, I'm sure they will be along in a minute to save the day!
Sorry OP, it really is rubbish for your DD but I'm afraid this is the reality of teaching at the moment. We've had several staff leave the profession this year due to the unreasonable demands and the pure vitriol teachers have been subjected to - so this kind of thing is only going to get worse.