No teacher for September

[skybluefalling]

I know there's a teacher retention / recruitment issue and lots of us will be in this position I'm sure but currently, Dd class won't have a teacher in September as they can't recruit.

It's a SEN school, autism. I can't begin to tell you the level of distress it causes not having a stable adult in the class who is specialist in SEN teaching and understands the needs on the EHCP etc.

Currently the only option is to have 2 TAs take the class until they can recruit - no guarantee they will get one all year. No supply available (only really works with supply if you can get long term contract change is too difficult for the children)

I'll be amazed if I can even get her in to school in September as her anxiety will skyrocket through the summer. Her school journey has been crap from a MS start to covid, school refusal and now a string of teaching gaps post covid. I know why were in this state - teachers are overworked and underpaid but (wailing now) why is it always my child that seems to get the shit stick 😡

I have masses of faith in TAs - they are amazing. I'm more concerned about them being put in a situation that they aren't being paid for - how long till they leave because they are being asked to be a teacher on a TAs wage?

This is a horrible situation for you and your DD but unfortunately is only going to become more common as the recruitment and retention crisis becomes worse. It couldn’t come at a worse time either as pupils need more stability than ever following two years of some form of Covid restrictions and of course in many schools, there’s less stability than ever.

I am a head of faculty in a mainstream school and we have a vacancy at the moment. Despite being one of the best schools in the area, having an excellent reputation with most parents and also having good or outstanding on all Ofsted reports, including a recent one from 2020, we have had no applicants! It’s a very worrying state of affairs.

However, I must say that I agree with some previous posters that for me, it’s not about the money, it’s about the unreasonable expectations and workload. I know that the unions are pushing for money but this doesn’t fix the reasons why I am thinking about not returning to work after my second child! I feel so sad saying that, but when I am in school 7.30-5.30 each day and also working at weekends, I have to ask myself when do input my own family (currently me, DH and DS1) first?

Yes, it's not about the money. I'm worried about TAs being asked to take on all the workload of a teacher because there aren't any teachers because they don't want the workload - how is that ok to put that on TAs - surely it will just move the recruitment crisis to TAs instead!

They are indeed. I used to get random emails at least twice a week (pre Covid) asking if I needed this candidate or this one etc from random recruitment agencies when there were no vacancies or illnesses in the department to cover! I can’t remember the last time I received an email like that now. And when we needed a cover teacher for 8 weeks due to a long term illness, we had to get a non specialist (less than ideal for languages) to cover as there were no linguists to be found anywhere! She was brilliant but 8 weeks of French with someone who doesn’t speak French isn’t great!

I really hope the school finds someone soon OP!

I really hope something gets sorted, OP. As others have said, in the meantime, the TAs will be qualified and supported to deliver high quality learning to the class I’m sure. But it’s a problem that will keep growing - I’ve only been teaching three years myself and I’m not sure how much longer I’ll last!

I work in behaviour for a very challenging school, I get more than TA pay however I have to deal with getting bitten, hit, sworn at etc and I’m completely burned out with work load. I agree that pay needs to increase to keep those in schools especially pastoral/support staff. However staffing crisis is real everywhere and again we can’t even recruit 1 to 1s anymore as most quit after a term due to stress and low pay. Education system in this country is quite frankly a shambles at the moment.

I work in an SEND school.
3 of my colleagues have handed their notice in for September and I have a feeling a couple more are going to.
I was planning to Im going to wait it out for a few more months.

I know in all schools they are very stressed and the workload is ever increasing but in most SEND schools the pay is absolutely crap and although we have less students we do still need to plan, deliver, asses, mark etc as well as having to deal with the behaviour that comes with SEND students whether it’s mentally draining or physical attacks.

I know it's really concerning. I don't think it is right and it hugely depends on the TAs whether this will work or not. I wouldn't blame you and other parents for complaining or requesting that more senior TAs are teamed up to lead and additional TAs put in to support. I have no idea if this will work.

This has been a long time coming and there have been various posts on mumsnet on the teacher staffing crisis. Teachers were already unhappy precovid with the workload but martyred on for the sake of the kids and the love for the teaching bit. Covid has completely shifted society's view on MH and teachers are quite rightly choosing themselves, and that mixed with being in lockdown with relatives on more money but no unpaid overtime has just added fuel to the exodus.

The thing is, it's not just teaching and workload that's the issue, there's so many problems which hit individuals different; the entire system needs a shake. I know of so many teachers quitting teaching because they hate their workplace but are too scared it will be worse elsewhere so are just leaving the profession full stop. I have a few friends in the NHS who have done/planning on doing the same.

To the PPs who mentioned not knowing who is staffing: deadline for resignations was May 30th so any positions now are unlikely to be filled until January 2023. There's also very little supply and lots of people turn to supply as a way of not having to do the marking etc, so they are getting harder and harder to find.

how long till they leave because they are being asked to be a teacher on a TAs wage?

Already happening. The number of people I met on supply circuits who left regular posts because of the amount they were asked to do for the appalling wages…

As pastoral lead in SEND Ed and a parent of a child with send I agree with you.

People are finally seeing what people have been saying for years and people vote when it affects them and theirs.

I'm sorry OP that your DD faces this. My ds has autism and I know how much a lesson of cover affected him. This would have destroyed him.

People should stop voting for the fucking Tories.

This is a situation that's taken years to get to so it'll take years to come out of it. But what will happen in the meantime? Presumably lots of classes with no teachers, non teaching staff taking classes - what happens when they run out of them as well? 50 children to a teacher? Part time schooling? Children not having school places (like many SEN children have to suffer) because they cut down places to meet the number of teachers? Where does it end?