DDs teacher is constantly off sick

[northernnitemarrrr]

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 ?

That’s not really accurate, @howtomoveforwards

For once, this has little to do with politics. Yes, arguably better conditions for teachers might mean more of a surplus of teachers which might mean supply could be found, but that’s a tenuous link at best and in any event, supply teachers were treated badly in the Brown/Blair years.

Regardless of politics, there aren’t many schools with a teacher waiting in the wings to teach. Long term sickness or maternity can be managed. In and out again is fair harder, regardless of the government.

So a teacher who might be off with cancer or another serious illness is crap?

I may be being overly generously here but I am interpreting those sorts of comments differently (although it’s annoying people assume that we get never ending sick pay - we don’t.)

A teacher with cancer might need eight months off, but that’s eight months of stability.

A teacher who is in for a week then has two days off, then a day off the next week, then in for two weeks off for a week - that’s more problematic.

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!

Wow those with serious and terminal
illnesses are crap teachers??!
In no other professional would you have people angry that someone has dared to take time off sick.

All you have to do is read any teaching thread and you’ll see how difficult it is having time off during term time and sickness, funerals, appointments etc are practically impossible to get time off for.

It doesn’t matter if a teacher is off with cancer like my colleague or attending their child’s funeral - they still need to plan the lesson and do all of the marking and assessing etc.
The only thing they’re not doing is the actual delivering.

In KS1 especially, it does not really matter who delivers the lesson - TAs are more than capable (although not paid for it) and cover staff are ex teachers and paid better.
Many parents choose to homeschool too without being teachers.

i would be less concerned about the academic impact and more concerned about how important it is for children to have a consistent person in their life. But it sounds like the TA is amazing and at least they have her.

Absolutely not true at all @Tentpegsandtantrums Complete rubbish.

Schools have attendance management policies. Governing boards are legally accountable for these being in place.

First on the list when I ‘googled’ from Durham County Council, HR.

www.gainford.durham.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/238/2014/07/Schools-Attendance-Management-Policy-and-Procedure-May-2016.pdf

Read it, educate yourself into the rigorous process required.

I taught for 25 years before retiring early. I had a health issue. Not I'll enough to be able to learn under disability but too Ill to stand most of day and rush around different part of the school up and down steep stairs. I didn't think it fair to my students. Instead I tutored from home online. In many organisations if you are Ill 3 times in a year period you start to face internal enquiries to your illness. If a serious illness like cancer then school should get in a long time supply. It is unfair on children to give them a ta no matter how good as the ta is not paid for that level of responsibility. If other 2 classes have their teacher all the time then it would be fairer for other 2 classes to give up teacher 1 day a week each so no class does not have any teaching at all.

@JustLyra well yes but they're employed as teachers so judged to have experience and skills equal to a teacher. Unlike a TA drafted in to cover.

Well, if you think teachers are so crap, why not homeschool your children then? Why use a school at all if you think you can do better?

A teacher who is in for a week then has two days off, then a day off the next week, then in for two weeks off for a week - that’s more problematic.

Many illnesses aren't stable, though, and people have good and bad days.

It's hard for the employer but it's even harder for the employee.

Huh? How would that help with continuity?

You genuinely believe if someone has a long term illness they should be fired?

They could be replaced with contractors or agency staff who only get SSP so tend to take less time off

Have you missed the many posts saying that schools cannot get supply staff for love nor money? I am a supply teacher. Schools are absolutely desperate for us (agency or non-agency).

Besides - agency staff are no replacement for permanent teachers with knowledge of the pupils, experience and continuity in schools etc. As for not taking time off - I've known supply teachers walk out in the middle of the school day, saying they will never come back. They don't need to worry about not getting work in other schools as a result of doing that - because everywhere is desperate!

You get long-term contracts.

I'm not with an agency - I work directly with schools, which means they have to swallow paying me at my full upper pay scale rate. And I can say no any day I want. It's still a crap job. I have a full time teaching job for September, fortunately!

@CallOnMe in very, very few other professions is the relationship between the service provider and the service receivers as important as teaching.

Even surgeons can hand over surgical procedures to someone else equally qualified. In fact, if they're feeling well below par it would be negligent of a surgeon to go ahead with an operation. Perhaps psychotherapy is the closest you get to the role of teacher, in the professional sphere. It doesn't work if the client has to see someone new every week. A therapist who cancels a lot of appointments will find his or her clients deciding to go elsewhere. Sadly, this choice isn't possible for children in many schools.

This is why a teacher's physical presence in the workplace is so important.

Wow! Imagine being a teacher going through cancer perhaps and seeing a parent say this!

From where?

Have you missed all the posts about the lack of supply teachers?

even if schools have the budget, which they often don’t, there is a major shortage.

where are you getting your contracting teachers from?

This is why a teacher's physical presence in the workplace is so important.

But are you suggesting that this means teachers should not have employment rights, or should not have the same sick leave entitlement as other people? I don't think that making the job even less attractive than it already is would have a very good effect on teacher recruitment and retention, which is already terrible.

The thing is, people can talk all they want about how things should be in schools, but you can't make people choose to be teachers or make them stay in teaching. The way to get good, well-qualified, committed teachers, and get them to stay, is not to treat them like shit and remove their employment rights. Half of them want to leave the profession already!

How do you know the skills of the TA? The Op and you have no clue of the ones.

Three of the TAs in the last school I worked in we’re ex teachers. Another I worked with was an early years specialist.

Basically just an excuse for the OP to look down her nose at the TA when she has no idea of their skills or experience, and hasn’t actually been able to pinpoint a problem with her daughters teaching.

a bloody good TA teaching work set by the teacher or Head is a damn site better than a shit teacher, but best not let things get in the way of a good frothing.

@SeasonFinale Most people do not care is my experience. When it comes to work they just want you out.

Yes, so many TAs are ex-teachers. And many of them (ex-teacher or not) are fantastic.

Oh do we have another thread with a parent thinking they know how to run a school?

So you would leave your job if you were battling cancer or some other serious condition would you?

Thank god the school are supporting their ill colleague and dismissing your fucking ridiculous, entitled, self-centred whining. She's in Year 1 not sitting A levels. Jesus Christ, no wonder teachers are leaving in droves.

How do you know she's not had a review?
Absence in teaching is dealt with in stages, as in other jobs. We don't know what stage she's at.

@CaptSkippy
The only purpose of schools is to educate children.

Not to provide a meaningless job description and a paycheque for the teachers.

Teaching is a hands on profession. A teacher who isn't teaching is like a bus driver who isn't driving a bus. Passengers wait hours for the next one. Their time is wasted. The purpose of the bus service goes unfilfilled.

Why are you assuming those procedures aren't being worked through with this teacher?

Where it's a long term issue eg cancer, a different process would kick in to ensure adequate cover.

You can't ensure adequate cover if you can't get hold of any.