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 ?

This absolutely what I am saying. The head is dismissing my concerns about it. They don't even say anything about it, until multiple parents are asking where the teacher is constantly. It's brushed under the carpet and I would expect the class to be prioritized for consistency in this situation but they don't. They've moved TA's about which are still at the school.

And yes it's not just about my DD, but the whole class is suffering. Some parents won't say anything, but after months of home schooling due to the second lot to Covid in year R and the first lockdown during her year at preschool she is slightly behind generally in all areas. Would she of caught up with a constant teacher ? Maybe ? Maybe not.

I do not hold a teaching degree, I do not hold a degree that would allow me to become a teacher of any kind. I will not be homeschooling my child. I do support them, I am at home with my younger DC but I also work.

Then why did you say the teacher should resign if your issue is with the school?

"This absolutely what I am saying. The head is dismissing my concerns about it. They don't even say anything about it, until multiple parents are asking where the teacher is constantly."

You can't sack someone for being sick. The problem is getting reliable supply cover at the moment, as teachers are all leaving. And you, complaining about the teacher being ill, are part of the problem.

Has anyone said the teacher is sick or is this the usual MN 2+2 makes a crisis. Could be the teacher is sick, or has MH issues , or a family member is sick, maybe the teacher is on a disciplinary and is unable to cope with the pressure of observation , maybe the teacher is being seriously bullied by SMT and can barely stand for the stress. Whatever the reason the teacher is entitled to privacy and confidentiality without the playground gossips making up their own scenarios.

I would ask myself, are the children learning, are they happy to go into school, are the normal consistent expectations of reading books, pe, sports day , classroom discipline etc being met, is someone who knows all their names greeting them at the door every morning and delivering them to the right adult at home time wearing their own clothes and with their own book bag and water bottle? In that case be grateful for what you have, you could have the worlds worst ever supply teacher who could seriously put them off learning for a long time, or a different adult every day who doesn’t know them well upsetting routines and turning the classroom into a chaotic free for all. No it’s not an ideal situation, and I have a feeling the head and SMT are fully aware of it and are doing their best to keep things as positive as possible for the class , it’s the end of the year, everyone is on their knees, and I hope things are better in Y2.

One of my colleagues was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis - he's a great teacher and a relatively young man. He's had a lot of time off this year and it's been very difficult to get supply teachers. It's hit his GCSE groups hard, but what can you do? They cannot get anyone qualified to fill in. It's been bad enough through covid and it's not getting better now.

All the school can do is replace the teacher with the best alternative currently available to them. They know what that best alternative is better than you do.They no doubt know things about the details of the situation which you are not party to (such as the severity or likely duration of the teacher's illness, the HR procedures for dealing with the teacher's absence, the relative needs and progress of the different classes, the qualifications and abilities if the TAs). They are not obliged to discuss their staffing policy, or able to discuss the health of their employees, with parents. That doesn't mean they 'think it's fine not to have a teacher' - it means they are doing what they judge to be the best they can with what they've got.

you can’t sack someone for being sick

You can actually dismiss somebody on health grounds.

Eventually long term sick people have to be let go and replaced which is not against employment legislation if done correctly. Teachers are no exception to that.

Absolutely. But there is no reason to believe from the OP's posts that the school is not following the appropriate procedures for whatever is going on with this teacher's absence.

You have two choices in this situation. One is to believe the head is competent, is following employment law and organises the best cover available in her power/budget. You could quibble that she could communicate this to parents but i am not sure she could say much without compromising confidentiality and if cover if difficult its hard to confirm in advance. So you'd get a vague reassurance letter at most really.

Your other option is to assume she is incompetent, was unaware of her own sickness / competancy procedures and isnt bothering to organise cover even though she could. If this is true, i dont know that a parent pointing it will change much but it might make you look at other schools

Of course teachers are no exception to employment law. What makes people think they are?
You cannot take time off sick as a teacher without a process being triggered. The school is not obliged to share that process with parents.

@CaptSkippy - sadly that’s what I’ve actually ended up having to do. I am teaching one of my children at home what they should be learning in school, alongside my own full time job. It’s ridiculous but it’s that or they fall further behind.

@viques it's not the same TA's. This is a big school, 3 classes our year, 4 classes in year 2 and 5 classes in year R. (Our year apparently was unsubscribed.) It's only an infant school. I often have to tell them my child's name at pick up. They do not know my child. No spellings for weeks, no spelling tests. Nothing written in their comms book, no sign of "I read to a teacher today" or even a helper. The HLTA usually covers the planning time across the school so isn't able to be full time in one class.

@AnnaKar - perfectly well educated, thanks. I’ve worked as a teacher in the state and private sectors and now have a corporate role. I’ve also been a governor. I stand by what I said. Corporate sector, you’re out of the door. Schools - nope! Muddle along for another few years and the children suffer for it.

If you don’t want to homeschool why don’t you move schools?

It sounds as though the teacher isn’t going to come back permanently soon.

The school can't magic up money for supply cover. That's down to the government's ongoing reduction in local authority finances.

Getting rid of the teacher may be very difficult. They may be waiting for surgery, therapy or other treatment that will resolve their health issues* or their absence may be in connection with a hidden disability, in which case dismissal could be a DDA issue. Early retirement on medical grounds may be a possibility, but the process is quite long-winded.

And the school would have to recruit and appoint a new teacher, at a time when they're leaving the profession in droves, so in the short term dismissal wouldn't achieve anything.

I get that it's a huge concern when it's your child that's affected, but I think you're directing your ire at the wrong target. Blame those who voted for more "austerity".

*and the length of the wait, like the lack of resources for supply staff, is a resourcing issue

Still not true@Tentpegsandtantrums.

Schools have to follow policy, did yours not when you were governor?

If you were a governor, you will know that schools never "muddle along".

I said before that the inability to effectively manage staff illness which will always occur, is a symptom if hears of underfunding an a recruitment crisis. These problems of kids not having a regular qualified teacher and a string of TAs or supply teachers of teachers of other subjects is just going to get worse.

Government says they value education, but the real budget of schools has been cut. teachers have seen real term pay cuts for 10 years and are leaving in droves. So when a teacher (rightly) goes off sick due to illness, there quite simply isn’t the right amount of funding or the people out there to be recruited. So the children lose out.

More and more time is spent with TAs in front of the class. So often a teacher planned the lessons and then a TA is delivering. And yes, school is doing the best it can to manage the situation and yes, a known TA who knows the kids has merits, but we can’t pretend they are a teacher or that it makes no difference compared to them having their teacher - if that were the case, government would have slashed the budgets more and reduced the teacher amount to a few planning lessons that could all be delivered by TAs.

When teachers are off sick or school is short of people for whatever reason, they always try to appear positive to parents and to tell them the children are learning and things are under control. What else can they say really? However crap and difficult the situation is, they aren’t going to say that ‘yes, children’s education is suffering due to this’ are they. Often they know it is…they are doing their best to minimise it, but the situation isn’t the equivalent of the teacher being there.

The Heads can on,y do what they can with the budgets they have and people out there or in the school who can be shifted around. BUT, there is a wide variety of ways of communicating with parents about these things and managing it and undoubtedly, some Heads and schools do it better, whilst others seem unwilling to give any information at all. I’m not saying they should reveal personal info about staff health - no, but the fact they are getting supply or not getting supply, or the plans they have in place would reassure parents….but some don’t seem to like to offer any information at all.

LOL at all the posters on here trying to claim the OP is wrong to expect a school to be staffed by teachers 🙄 Thank God for posters like @mathanxiety who get what she is saying!

No one is saying those with a long term illness like cancer shouldn’t be helped. But there is a special place in hell for those people who skirt so close to the margins of the sickness absence policy, ruining children’s chances as they utilize their ‘right’ to a sick day (or ten) when they’re actually not unwell. There are malingerers in every profession, teaching is no different. Unless you’re on here of course, in which case they’re revered whatever they do!

And did you hold them to account as a governor @Tentpegsandtantrums , using the attendance management policy, which you will have legally had in place?

LOL at all the posters on here trying to claim the OP is wrong to expect a school to be staffed by teachers 🙄

All people are saying is that the OP can't do anything about it and can't expect the school to do anything other than follow procedure (which she has no reason to think they aren't doing). I can't see how any of that adds up to 'revering teachers'.

Not sure how many more ways we can say it, but the school can't get more teachers if a) they literally do not have the money and b) there aren't any available. If you've got a solution to that, maybe you should be in charge of the education system.

So much speculation on here. Have you actually been told the teacher is off with illness? People discussing the situation of a person they literally no nothing about. Disgusting comments about them losing their job when you don't know the facts at all! My colleague has been off since before half term. Their child was dying in a hospital and has since died. Complications resulting in a coroners inquest so no funeral yet. Information quite correctly not shared with pupils or parents. I've had to pull pupils up on insensitive comments because they do not know the facts. Jesus. Somewhere it is likely a parent is considering complaining, moaning that the head won't answer questions. I'm only sharing this to show you have no idea what the facts are. But sure, the teacher should resign.

So what? It's still a job and it goes with sick pay.

'Know' nothing not 'no'

Last comment to @AnnaKar who seems intent on defending the slack to the max. Quite obviously any decent school and/or governing body will do their best, but the processes take too long and there are certain situations when you know fine well someone is not off sick (because parents have seen them out and about, are friends with them even, they’re known to take the piss) and your hands are tied. Ditto the ones who can’t get in because of the snow. A few years ago, I worked for a large nursery chain in a corporate training role and on the same day my own children’s school closed as the (local) staff couldn’t possibly get in, we were able to open 14/15 nursery settings across the county. Staff knew they had to make their best effort to attend, all main roads were clear. There’s a pattern in there somewhere.