To email headteacher about this

[schoolgrinch]

DS is in year one, at a 2 form state primary. It is very well regarded, DS is doing brilliantly, and generally we are very happy.

However.

My child is in Class X. They have had two part time teachers (Teacher A Monday-Wednesday and Teacher B Wednesday-Friday) for year 1.

Teacher A announced her pregnancy early in 2024 and parents were told that she was planning to go on maternity leave after May half term. An alternative teacher in the school would take over her days at this point, for term 6. About a month ago we were told that Teacher A was now starting maternity leave 2 weeks before May half term, and a different member of staff would cover these 2 weeks.

So in one year, the class will have had 4 different teachers,

In comparison, the other Year 1 class, Class Y, have had 1 teacher the whole year.

Now- this isn't anything against part time working, pregnancy rights etc etc. I have benefitted from both of these provisions myself.

However- WIBU to email the headteacher to ensure that it has been considered in terms of planning teacher allocations for next year, that Class X have had quite considerable disruption this year, and would benefit from an opportunity for more consistent teaching next year?

1. YANBU, totally reasonable to email
2. YANBY, but the headteacher will clearly be aware of this and will already have considered it
3. YABU (please give reason)

An email to the head won’t achieve anything, he will have noticed the disruption already.

You’re being ridiculous. The teacher probably had to go on early maternity leave and they’ve got it covered. Honestly, it’s year 1, your child’s whole future will not be defined by their year 1 final half term teaching arrangements.

Parents were a huge chunk of the reason why I left the profession tbh and while I liked most kids, I’ve never regretted walking away from the adult nonsense. Glad to hear you’re happy out of it as well 🙂

Very unreasonable, and you should probably come here in future before sending any emails to the school

Because teachers in private school don’t get pregnant….?

Your son is doing "brilliantly" so has clearly not been disadvantaged in any way.

I cannot see the point in contacting the head to tell her/him what they already know!

I think you need to place some trust in the head.

The reaction here is like I've sent death threads to them, not just asked on an anonymous forum whether I would be unreasonable to approach regarding a concern I have, and very quickly accepted the advice,

I am not reasonable for every shitty and difficult parent out there.

Oh for goodness sake, do you not think the Head knows how to run a school and manage staffing, but you could do a better job? Heads and teachers are leaving in droves and it’s often because of parents like you. Stop stirring things up unnecessarily.

Just re next year being planned...the last date for resignations to leave in the summer is 31st May so nothing can be set in stone until after that date. I work in a one-form entry school and there are so many questions marks/such a lot of juggling to be done. Us teachers often don't know where we will be until the end of June.

Excuse my ignorance (my child hasn't reached school age yet), but what is the problem with 4 teachers over a year in year 1?

If your child has only had 4 teachers, and if your child has had a qualified person standing up in front of them most of the time, they are well ahead.

DS2 had two teachers (job share), one left, one went on maternity leave, the first cover left after two weeks, the maternity leave cover left after 4 weeks, the headmistress taught one day a day, they got two more covers in for a month or so etc etc - he had a total of 9 teachers while in reception. His year1/2 teacher (small school, mixed year groups and not enough money for teachers) apologised at his first parents evening when she said she'd noticed that none of the year1 kids were holding a pencil correctly or able to write along a line as they'd never had ruled paper.

He did just fine long-term and no headteacher would choose broken teaching.

Primary is not the time to be worrying about such things.

You are being ridiculous, let the Head do their job.
You are also ill informed- the school year has 3 terms, not 6.

6 these days. I know its 3 really, but we have to call it 6

As a headteacher, I assure you that there are 3 terms in a school year, despite the current trend to accommodate those who can’t be bothered to understand otherwise.

An only child?
Don't be that parent. The headteacher knows more than you.

If you were a real head teacher you would know you have to say 6, and there is nobody who "can't be bothered to understand otherwise" - there is a large population who have had this explained to them.....

Hi op I think you are getting some unreasonable replies here and actually I don’t think you are wrong.
last year ( year 4 ) my DC class has 3 teachers a week -
mon - Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday and Friday

every other year had 1 teacher.
halfway through the year the year 6 teacher left and they replaced them with one of the 3 teachers from our class who did Thursday and Friday.

then replaced her with who they could each week for the Thursday and Friday so each week it was different.

the kids really struggled due to very diff ways of teaching each subject. Even in secondary school yes you have diff teachers for each lesson but at least subject teaching is consistent. The whole class really struggled with say maths and having up to 4 diff teachers a week teaching it differently.

Weird tangent but our school had three terms, never heard of a school with six terms.

OP, YANBU to be concerned how this may impact your child's learning and feeling of stability in the school. Sometimes parents do need to question things in schools and you should be able to, even if it is just to put your mind at ease. Parents may be the bane of many a teachers lives but that doesn't mean they or their concerns don't matter.

I think YWBU to point out that it's disruptive because the school will know that and be doing their best to minimise the impact.

Oh God, please don't embarrass yourself.

YABU - not for wondering if it would be OK to tell the Head how to do their job but for making the huge assumption that the other class have had the better deal. What if that full-time "consistent" teacher is a bit rubbish and the job-sharers have been first class?
<<voice of experience>>

You will not be able to provide DfE guidance to support your claim that there are 6 terms in a school year. As a ‘real’ Headteacher, I assure you no-one ’has to say 6’. You are mis-informed.

They can't help it and I'm sure they are doing their best. You are being unreasonable