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)

OP I don’t like job share teachers quite honestly - my experience was that with a 50:50 split neither of them took actual responsibility for anything, they contradicted each other in ways that upset the children (one would say on Tuesday X was allowed, then the Thursday teacher would tell them off for doing X ), there appeared to be zero handover between them (child A would repeatedly thump child B on Wednesday morning, on Wednesday afternoon the other teacher would move them to sit next to each other) and messages from parents were never passed on. It wasn’t great, although I think some of it was down to the particular individuals.

That said, no child has the same adult all week and in the current climate having full time qualified teacher cover is doing well. Lots and lots of teachers are part time (being human and all) and that has to be accommodated somehow. It’s not all about what’s best for your child.

You can protest all you want, no sensible headteacher is going to take a blind bit of notice of parent opinions on this kind of thing. Teacher allocation will have been done for actual reasons, many of which you will rightly have no idea about. All you can do is make the best of it.

In my school and most schools jobs shares are usually occupied by the more experienced teachers who have had kids. I usually find that schools offer these positions to teachers they don't want to lose as they are very good teachers.

OP I don't understand how you see this relating to next year or what you would be asking for. Do you expect the two classes to be left in tact next year and not "mixed up"? Are you anticipating one class having part time teachers again and the other not and angling for preferential assignment for your child?

The thing that’s most fascinating is you are “mostly very happy”. You have said the situation is “not badly managed” and generally support PT working as have “benefitted yourself”.

So beyond something nondescript about consistency, what is the problem - specifically?

With respect, I'm very glad I don't teach at your school.
I'm a part time job share (2 days). I could work full time if I wanted, but I refuse because of the stress of the job.
Consistency is all well and good, but be glad your child has stable, qualified teachers at all who are relaxed and still enjoying the job.

But carry on, join the army of 'those parents'. I'm sure the part time teachers will be thrilled about the complaints and one of them will gladly step out of the way and the other will go full time.
In reality, both will find it bloody insulting and question why they bother at all, hand their notices in and your child may end up with supply teachers for the majority of the year.

Dramatic I know, but it doesn't take much at the minute. My own wonderful headteacher is leaving education because of petty shit like this.

@Barnabyby with respect, I'm glad you don't teach at our school, as you can't seem to get that the issue isn't the lack of staff able to work full time- 12/14 classes will have one full time teacher- the issue is the same class being given a job share after a pretty disrupted year.

Dd1 had a couple of years of this.

She's just finished her GCSEs. Predicted to do very well. As I've said before, this will make not one jot of difference to your dc's outcomes.

Even if the class did have the one teacher, anything could happen. Illness, time off for other reasons, leaving part way through the year because of shit from parents.

Play the long game op and think of the bigger picture.

YABVU.
It almost sounds like you're telling the head how to do their job.
This sort of thing often happens in schools - many teachers are women, many women have babies.