Terrible class teacher causing concern amongst parents

[DodgyMcDodgerson]

My son is in Year 2. To briefly summarise, his class teacher shouts at the class frequently, there’s alot of punishments both individual and whole class, alot of putting kids down and responding to them very abruptly.
most of the girls in the class are terrified of her (as in to the point some girls are crying coming into school, another little girl wet herself rather than interrupt the teacher to ask to go to the toilet. When the girls mother suggested her daughter had been nervous to put her hand up in case she got shouted at, the teacher completely dismissed this as unthinkable). There are a few boys in particular who she seems to really
single out to tell off, and these are lovely kids - not unruly or being disruptive. She’s telling one boy off for not understanding the work as an example. The kids are unanimous in their dislike of her. The parents in the class are unanimous in their dislike of her.Literally not heard one positive word about her.
one child has already transferred to a different school and there is talk of more
following.
bearing in mind that this is not even 6 months into a new job and in a class of 28 children there have already been at least 5 complaints (that I’m aware of) - is this teacher likely to remain at the school????

@Smartiepants79 I agree completely.

Shouting is never ideal but I don't think it makes the teacher awful. There is a lot of low level disruption. There is also a lot of permissive parenting which doesn't help. I suspect the class have been used to soft teaching in Reception.

Whole class punishments should be avoided but they do happen.

I worked at a primary where we had a teacher like this. In the end I had to say something to the Headteacher. I was genuinely concerned about this behaviour, which was unacceptable and the kids were scared of her. She was even teasing students and calling them names.

It was difficult for me to witness this and after speaking up, I still had to work with her but the kids who were a lovely Yr 2 class were terrified of her and walking on eggshells (me included).

I think you must complain. Think of the children. They won't be able to learn in this environment. The atmosphere you've described is toxic and bullying. Tell the Headteacher and if its still not resolved please tell the governors. If the governors don't take things seriously then tell your education dept. Put everything in writing so you have written evidence. The teacher sounds like a bully.

There are lots of crap teachers, and I say this as a former teacher. Go to the head and raise your concerns.

It is if the child is too afraid to ask the teacher because she's not very nice and shouts at them.

I’m with all the people who say email the head/the safeguarding lead. Strictness is fine, having the odd grumpy day is understandable, but shouting (rather than raising your voice to be heard over a noisy class) and bullying are not. It’s potentially a safeguarding issue and it’s better to report concerns even if they are low level. If there’s nothing to worry about and it’s just a rowdy class these will be dismissed.

Also, it’s doesn’t just have to be about your child. It’s ok to report concerning things your child has told you have happened to other children. That doesn’t make you a busybody or a gossip or someone stepping out of your lane. It’s the right thing to do.

We had this issue, an incredibly scary and angry teacher. The whole class was petrified to the point it was a safeguarding issue. These were all very lovely young kids treading on egg shells around an adult existing on a knife edge. Many parents complained and she was moved in to a TA role.

Why is it so difficult to believe that it might just be the teacher… honestly there are terrible teachers as well as terrible parents. But so many pps want to blame the kids for poor behaviour or the parents for gossiping… it’s actually quite worrying and bordering on gaslighting to believe the fault is always anyone’s but the teacher’s. You should absolutely raise your concerns with the school.

Agree. And how does OP actually know the children aren’t being disruptive? Unless she is in the classroom with them.

My eldest DS had a recently qualified teacher when he was in Year 2, and one day as a prank when the class was singing "He has the whole world in His hands" he kept replacing the word "hands" with "pants". And the more he did it, the more the other kids laughed, and the more he did it.

The teacher was having none of it, and in the end we were called in by a very embarrassed headistress explaining that due to my DS's behaviour her teacher had to, and I quote, "restrain him", while my DS was sobbing in a classroom.

In all fairness, my DS is now 16 and has never been diagnosed but I suspect is ASD. But at that time he was six years old and had been physically restrained by a man at least 20 years older. For singing the word "pants".

Needless to say I gave the headmistress a piece of my mind, drove my son home and we never went back to that school. A few months later I found out we were the start of an exodus of kids from that year group.

I don't know about the OP's case but some teachers are rubbish.

I'm a teacher. We don't do the profession any favours if we pretend that every teacher is good, and every teacher is patient and calm.

I've known teachers who fit this description, and if you're a teacher who's been in the job for any amount of time, you will too.

I'm sensitive to unfair criticism of teachers, but I also had kids, and now have grandkids. And if they came home scared of their teacher/not wanting to go to school/wetting themselves because they were scared to ask to go to the toilet, I'd be making an appointment to see the head.

Have you spoken to the Headteacher about your concerns OP? Next step would be to involve school governors and LEA or Council. If enough parents complain, the school will have to address it.

But it doesn't sound like these 'discipline' techniques work at all they just scare children, children don't learn when they're scared

@DodgyMcDodgerson

Just a thought but make sure that you keep a written record of complaints as often the worst teachers are for some reason supported by heads that believe that they can do no wrong.

Even to the extent of emailing the head with the contents of what has been said at the meeting,
"just to confirm in our meeting of XX date" etc.

Whoa that's some serious victim blaming

It was in the media in the last year or so that a parent put a voice recorder on her child, for proof that the teacher was awful. Once she had enough evidence, it was presented to the school. I cannot remember the outcome but it proved that the children were telling the truth about her behaviour. I think she lost her job but can't remember.

I think as parents, you need to come together and potentially go down the voice recorder route on a couple of the children. Then see if it's as bad as it sounds. Then go to the Head & don't let it drop until they do something.

I do know of a school who got a new HT who was so bad that three quarters of the school left for other schools, the school almost had to shut down (was already a smallish school). It was only after they retired that the numbers started to increase again.

I had a genuinely scary teacher at primary school. She told children that they smelled, told them they were stupid, lost her temper repeatedly, and would single out certain pupils for humiliating treatment - one girl had to bash the desk with her fist for each syllable she said (I can't remember why), and was weeping the whole time. This was in the 1990's. She was eventually fired after two years of complaints.

Some very unpleasant teachers DO exist. Acknowledging the fact doesn't diminish the hard work and dedication of the teachers doing a good job.

She'd deliberately frighten/abuse my kid only once.

Only cowards don't do whatever is necessary to protect their child, regardless of ineffective rules. Whatever it looked like, words, deeds or anything else I promise she would not be doing this to my child.

And there would definitely be zero repercussions for me. Just because you're too weak or stupid to deal with her without pushback don't assume everyone is. There's ALWAYS a way. She's broken the rules. She deserves the same.

Protect your kids no matter what weaklings say.

Anyone who disagrees is a gutless coward.

Wow. You've completely and totally dismissed the very idea that a teacher could behave like this and decided to declare it to be all down to badly behaved children despite never having met any of these children. Just wow

@Frozenasarock My DC's primary school don't do a DBS for parent volunteers? Just offer our free time and then get told which class we're in?

Lol at all the people suggesting this is a case of PFBs who are too precious to absorb fair criticism.

My DCs' school had a teacher who had the reputation of being a proper pill. It was well earned. One of my DCs developed mysterious stomach pains regularly in her class. Another child switched school. The teacher was eventually managed out (private school).

Not all teachers of young children are Mary Poppins. Some of them belong in the prison service.

There are some crap teachers who really shouldn't be in the job.

I'm surprised at the minimising here.

You should all send individual complaints based on your own children's direct experiences of the teacher. Report comments, language, context, and fears or concerns each child has confided.

There's no smoke without fire.

If a collective group of children are telling their grown ups that their teacher is a bully, I'd believe them.
They are only in y2! They are still so young. Don't let this teacher destroy their love of learning.

As advised by a number of others, go to the head about your child's experience. Everything else is hearsay.

Then come back and tell us how it went. It would be a first.

I think you need to read the school behaviour policy.
Lots of punishments means nothing if the children are not following the rules.Year 2s should not really be using the toilet during lesson time, especially not during the input.