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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be really cross about this feedback I’ve received at work today?

122 replies

BiscoffAddict · 11/06/2021 19:35

I’m a teaching assistant and am working on supply via an agency at the moment. It’s obviously been a tough year but most schools are just glad of the help. This week I’ve been working everyday at an Infant school. They seemed lovely, I was only supposed to be there four days but they asked me to do an extra day. Of course I was happy to help. Today as I left the teacher thanked me profusely and said she hoped she’d see me again soon.

I then get home to a message from the agency asking me to ring them and it turns out that the school had some ‘concerns’ about me. Apparently there had been ‘incident’, which I have no recollection of where I told a child with additional needs to stop dancing during circle time. They also accused me of using my phone whilst in the classroom, which I couldn’t have done because my phone was in my bag in the cupboard!

I was and still am absolutely gobsmacked! They were so nice to my face, and I came away thinking what a lovely week it had been.I just can’t get my head around it. This has never happened before ever, and even my account manager admitted she didn’t understand it because I always get good feedback and no one has ever had a problem with me before.

The whole thing has left me reeling and actually and I’m really fucking fuming! I can’t understand why they didn’t talk to me directly if they were unhappy with my work? I also don’t understand why they kept me for the whole week?

AIBU to be furious about it!

OP posts:

insancerre · 11/06/2021 19:38

They have got you confused with someone else

GertietheGherkin · 11/06/2021 19:40

No I don't think you're being unreasonable.
There has obviously been either a misunderstanding or a hatchet job.
Are you allowed to respond to the feedback via the agency? Something along the lines of you have no recollection of the 'circle' incident, and that your phone was in your bag in a locker?

Actupfishy · 11/06/2021 19:40

Sounds like you’ve been mixed up with someone else, if you can’t remember the dancing incident.
Get them to double check!

DogsSausages · 11/06/2021 19:40

Are you sure the agency haven't got you mixed up with someone else, if you didnt tell a child to stop dancing and didnt use your phone then I would challenge that accusation and ask for proof,. If they have made up false stories about you then your account manager needs to back you up, that sounds strange if they were happy with you.

Leftphalange · 11/06/2021 19:40

Came on to say the same as above- wrong person?

ClarisseMcClellan · 11/06/2021 19:42

Sounds like a simple mix up, maybe another person with a similar name or a teacher who got two supply staff confused.

Are you able to ask for more details?

GreyhoundG1rl · 11/06/2021 19:45

Definitely a mixup.

billy1966 · 11/06/2021 19:47

Absolutely challenge it.
Why wouldn't you?

Repeat the nice remarks made to you and ask for clarification.

Don't hesitate to tell how deeply upsetting their call was and how you dispute what they have said about you.

If they feel strongly enough about what occurred to complain, they need to be bloody sure they have their facts right.

Do not let this rest.

Original poster

BiscoffAddict · 11/06/2021 19:48

Definitely not a mixup. I was the only supply there!

OP posts:

Yokey · 11/06/2021 19:52

@insancerre

They have got you confused with someone else

This. Your agency will have confused the entire school if it wasn't someone else at your school. I've worked as a supply teacher and something similar has happened to me where the agency just got crossed wires.

ShaneTheThird · 11/06/2021 19:58

Yanbu same happened to me when i was with a teaching agency. I had a nice day, staff were a bit frosty but i tried my best kids were great. At the end of the day i helped the kids onto the correct school buses etc. Then i returned to the classroom and waited for the teacher who literally didnt come back. I waited 10 mins then i went to the office and asked if i needed to do anything else or sign anything. I was told. No just go home. On the bus home the agency called to say the school said my attitude was disgusting and i walked out before the end of the day without a word to anyone! Complete and utter lies i was furious and stupidly i was young and let it go. I wouldn't let it go if it happened today.

toocold54 · 11/06/2021 20:02

Sounds like a mix up. I’d ring the agency and check and then the school to ask about the incidents.

ClarisseMcClellan · 11/06/2021 20:05

@BiscoffAddict

Definitely not a mixup. I was the only supply there!

That doesn't mean that the agency haven't got you mixed up with someone else

NoSquirrels · 11/06/2021 20:07

Someone’s taken the wrong message at the agency...

Original poster

BiscoffAddict · 11/06/2021 20:09

@ShaneTheThird

Bloody hell. That’s awful. The school weren’t even frosty with me though, they were really nice. Now I wonder if it was all fake all along. Just seems really unfair, and I’m not sure who I’d raise it with to be honest? I stood my ground completely and said I had no recollection of anything happening, and to be honest I think the agency believe me rather than them but had to talk to me about it which I understand.

OP posts:

Original poster

BiscoffAddict · 11/06/2021 20:10

Also I should add when talking to me she even mentioned the name of the school and the headteacher so it was definitely about me! I don’t think I’ve been confused with someone else.

OP posts:

monkeysox · 11/06/2021 20:12

Definitely challenge it

Susannahmoody · 11/06/2021 20:12

Something isn't right

Iluvperegrines · 11/06/2021 20:15

I feel your pain. I once worked at a school where the teacher was lovely to my face, but she wasn’t very good at her job 😬
She phoned the agency and accused me of doing all the things which in fact she had done. For example: left kids unsupervised, it was really bizarre.
You just have to put it behind you.
If you have no trouble with other schools, the agency will be happy.

GertietheGherkin · 11/06/2021 20:19

Well that's just not on OP, I would ask the agency to clarify the discrepancies between what happened in your day, to the version given by the School

DaphneDuBois · 11/06/2021 20:20

It’s one thing having two sides to a story but these sound like incidents which quite literally did not happen at all. I really would go back to the agency again and say that you are so concerned about these unfounded blemishes on your record that you’d appreciate them looking into the details to see why the confusion has occurred. I’m a teacher too btw.

MrsIsobelCrawley · 11/06/2021 20:20

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity. The latter is far more common.

I would not immediately blame the school. It us more likely to have been a mix-up at the agency.

InnaBun · 11/06/2021 20:22

How weird. You'd think teachers wouldn't make shit up.

MrsIsobelCrawley · 11/06/2021 20:23

@BiscoffAddict

Also I should add when talking to me she even mentioned the name of the school and the headteacher so it was definitely about me! I don’t think I’ve been confused with someone else.

I just saw this.

This is disappointing.

DogsSausages · 11/06/2021 20:23

If you dont think it's a mix up the agency should ask for a letter of proof from the Head, it could be vindictive, it could be a genuine mix up but you need to clear your name.

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