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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

DDs teacher is constantly off sick

275 replies

northernnitemarrrr · 22/06/2022 11:54

The school say this isn't an issue for her education ( year 1) But I just feel if a TA was a suitable teacher then they would be the teacher. And they having random Ta's or support staff cover the classes, so it's always a different person isn't really on. None of the TA's have been there all year, as they don't seem to last long in our class. Maybe it's the class or the teacher but AIBU to be pissed off ?

OP posts:
rwalker · 22/06/2022 15:17

The situation needs to be managed better . Generally if it was cancer involved theres a treatment plan and process in place to manage it.
If it's incidental sickness for various reasons schools like another business can't sustain an absence level of 50%.

There probably isn't the funding for supply 2 reasons 1)government funding 2) the amount they have to spend on pastoral care having to parent kids because the people who should be doing it don't give a fuck .

Chaoslatte · 22/06/2022 15:17

Yanbu in that it doesn’t sound like this situation is working well for anyone - least if all the teacher who is probably coming in when still unwell if she’s coming in for a few days before going off sick again. Of course she should not be sacked but the school really need to work on how to manage this situation, whether it’s turning this teacher’s role into a job share, rotating teachers as you suggested OP, or whatever. The headteacher providing some of the supply teaching is not a ridiculous suggestion either, I’ve seen it happen myself. It’s not ok to put this on the TA and it’s not ok to keep parents in the dark.

mathanxiety · 22/06/2022 15:21

I'm in agreement with you, OP.

The school need to find a qualified permanent sub. Year 1 is a really important year to pick up problems with reading and writing.

If any old TA can do the job adequately then yes, why are there any teachers at all?

ElizabethCaroline · 22/06/2022 15:22

I'd maybe understand if your child was in year 11 or 13. But year 1. YEAR 1!!!! 😂

Sockwomble · 22/06/2022 15:24

"Some of the responses here are hugely over dramatic (“how dare you suggest my friend with cancer should be in school” - the OP never said anything like that, and we don’t know what’s wrong with this teacher!)"

The OP has said the teacher should resign.

antelopevalley · 22/06/2022 15:27

The teacher should not resign. She is an employee and that includes some sick leave if necessary.

mathanxiety · 22/06/2022 15:27

It seems there are quite a few people here who feel a school owes a teacher a living regardless of whether she turns up to teach or not.

Schools do not exist to provide an uninterrupted income for the teachers who are on the books.

ElizabethCaroline · 22/06/2022 15:28

roarfeckingroarr · 22/06/2022 14:07

Wouldn't happen in the private sector so why is it acceptable in the state?

It does happen in the private sector. Private schools can't get supply teachers either, and I know for a fact exam classes are taught by non specialists even in private schools, and have support staff covering classes. The teacher crisis is chronic.

antelopevalley · 22/06/2022 15:28

@mathanxiety Nobody is saying that. But neither do schools or parents have the right to break the law and turf a teacher out without following employment rights.

BaconMassive · 22/06/2022 15:30

Really the years Reception, 1 and 2 are just as important as any year group. Yes even Y11 because they set the foundation for the whole child's education to be built upon. It's a lot easier to get on when you are not disadvantaged from the start.

If it was acceptable for these infant year groups to be taught be TAs then they all would be, to save money. I think the OP has some valid concerns and I think what they are saying is there might be 3 Year 1 teachers and 1 is off, I would expect the head to do some pooling of resources to spread the impact of the sickness more equally.

CaptSkippy · 22/06/2022 15:33

mathanxiety · 22/06/2022 15:27

It seems there are quite a few people here who feel a school owes a teacher a living regardless of whether she turns up to teach or not.

Schools do not exist to provide an uninterrupted income for the teachers who are on the books.

They do, by law. It they don't agree with that they should close the school.

tigger1001 · 22/06/2022 15:33

I think there are two issues here.

Yea a teacher having considerable sick leave causes issues. However, op, your anger is misdirected to the teacher. Sick leave isn't a trigger for someone to lose their job. The teacher is allowed to be ill. There should be zero assumption that she should lose her job because she is ill.

But the school do need to manage it better. The issue is there won't be the money to get a supply teacher. And add in that some areas really struggle to get supply to come into school.

Read the other thread about teachers. There is a real crisis in retaining teachers. That certainly won't be helped by suggesting anyone that's ill longer term should lose their job.

Secondary schools seem to struggle, certainly where I am, to retain teachers. Often a substitute teacher - and often not one that normally teaches that subject. It's a big problem.

Dancingwithhyenas · 22/06/2022 15:34

The teacher may very well have a serious illness or disability so being annoyed with the teacher is unfair. We don’t want ex-teachers selling the big issue because they got cancer.

However it is totally reasonable to book a meeting with the headteacher to raise your concerns. Children should be getting consistent and qualified help.

Budgets are utterly decimated at the moment in schools, but the reality is that often it’s the squeeky wheel that gets the oil. So politely raising your concerns is fine. Please do not get nasty about the teacher or other staff doing their best. It’s a bad situation. Headteachers aren’t magicians but it is their role to try to problem solve these kind of scenarios with the best interests of the children in mind.

antelopevalley · 22/06/2022 15:34

Year 1 is really important for children struggling either with SN or because of neglect or lack of parental input. It is these children that will suffer.
For children with involved and engaged parents, their child will be fine.

sausageandbeansx · 22/06/2022 15:34

I wonder if this is the school my sister is a TA at. She is constantly having to cover and teach the class.

She’s a student on placement though and absolutely loves her job. Hopefully the TA your daughter has is like that

mathanxiety · 22/06/2022 15:35

If early childhood education is so unimportant in the greater scheme of things and the OP should therefore get a grip, why are children in school at all before age 7? Is it just cheap childcare?

The truth is that no child can afford to spend a year in a classroom with a substandard teacher or no qualified teacher at all.

The OP's child is disadvantaged by this, and she doesn't have to suck it up because 'teachers are human too', or whatever.

A qualified sub may be hard to find, but finding a permanent TA isn't an impossible task for a HT who feels a sense of urgency about the situation.

I guarantee 99% of the posters here would be up in arms if this were their child.

heathcliffthe2nd · 22/06/2022 15:36

And I refer you back to the thread from yesterday about why thousands of teachers are leaving the profession….

Blueandwhiteflower · 22/06/2022 15:37

It is a bit weird that people are dismissing it as ‘only year one’ to be honest.

Fairislefandango · 22/06/2022 15:41

It seems there are quite a few people here who feel a school owes a teacher a living regardless of whether she turns up to teach or not.

Why would teachers not have the same employment rights as other people?

ToysRMine · 22/06/2022 15:46

northernnitemarrrr · 22/06/2022 12:21

That's the issue there won't be money for a supply teacher. They haven't had a supply teacher or even been loaned a teacher from another class in the same year. As I said this is a big school.

IMO ideally the teacher needs to leave. In many businesses you can be dismissed for too much sickness, this is excessive sickness. It maybe a learn term condition, obviously as parents don't get told why she's off sick. I just don't think it's fair. I appreciate the teacher needs to earn, and yes I've complained but the school are very dismissive.

Show quote history

It’s not as simple as that though is it. If the teacher is disabled then she is protected by the equality act and they cannot simply dismiss her. If she has cancer or some other illness and is having to undergo intensive treatment then they cannot just sack her for being absent without facing tribunal action.

antelopevalley · 22/06/2022 15:51

They can dismiss her, but they have to go through a process.
People with serious illnesses undergoing temporary treatment get sacked all the time. It is not fair, but it is not unusual.

Sockwomble · 22/06/2022 15:54

"It seems there are quite a few people here who feel a school owes a teacher a living regardless of whether she turns up to teach or not."

I wonder if you feel the same way about maternity employment rights.

antelopevalley · 22/06/2022 15:57

Under the Equality Act employees have to make reasonable adjustments. But if the employee still can not do the job, and they do not look to be able to within a reasonable framework, they can be dismissed on capability grounds.

There is a myth that if you are disabled or very ill you can not be get rid of. In fact many people are.
Hopefully this teacher will recover and still have a job.

Tentpegsandtantrums · 22/06/2022 15:59

We’ve had the same. It’s shocking what teachers can get away with sickness wise. Any other role would have applied a decent sickness absence policy and recruited someone else. But no - can’t touch the crap teachers who don’t turn up!

howtomoveforwards · 22/06/2022 16:05

I know this has been an ongoing issue with this teacher, so I expect the school to get another teacher in
Anyone got a spare teacher hanging around?!
No, thought not.

IMO ideally the teacher needs to leave. In many businesses you can be dismissed for too much sickness, this is excessive sickness

It can be difficult to get rid of anyone with illness, particularly if the situation is such that the school and it's practises are contributing to the illness. I am also not sure that we should be advocating that people who are ill should just resign. You never know when it might be you.

I can assure you we are going to see this more and more. Think carefully the next time you get an opportunity to vote. This hasn't happened because a teacher is sick. There is a lot more at play behind the scenes.