Overreacting? Not in the SLT clique, now getting the cold shoulder

[Mamma246]

I’m a teacher. I lead curriculum areas across the MAT, run whole-school projects, write policies, handle Ofsted-linked work, plan Collective Worship, do safeguarding bits… basically everything short of actually running the place. I’m professional, I get the job done, I’m polite, popular with children and parents — but I’m not the type to gush about someone’s “amazing vision” every five minutes.
The result? I’m not on SLT despite formally asking for the last 4 years. No meetings, no say in decisions, no official recognition… just the workload of leadership without the pay or benefits.
And lately, it’s not just being left out — some of them have started being outright horrible. Passive-aggressive comments, freezing me out of conversations, giving me the awkward jobs nobody else wants. It feels like they want to put me back in my box for daring to do leadership-level work without being in their little club, or ‘gang’, as the HT describes it.

I’ve raised it with my headteacher — more than once — and get the same “we value you so much” spiel, followed by absolutely nothing changing. Meanwhile, I get to watch others with less responsibility but more… let’s call it schmooze factor… get promoted.
Anyone else worked somewhere like this? Did you:
a) Perfect your brown-nosing and join the club,
b) Keep your head down and seethe quietly, or
c) Jump ship to somewhere that actually values competence over coffee-room politics?

They will feel threatened - a lot of the SLT in schools have been there forever and hate change. We see that in our school. It would be good to have movement in the team and therefore fresh ideas every few years. Most of ours have been there since uni and it shows. I am in a management support role and sometimes they can be very blunt. After such an occasion recently I stood up for myself and told her I would never ask her a question again. She didn’t know what to say. Then I walked out. It took weeks before she lowered herself to speak to me again….

Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?

Stop working extra for no extra money

TBH though, if you were determined enough and had the right skill-set, you'd surely be employed as SLT somewhere else by now? There must be a finite number of management roles within one primary school, surely?

How big is the MAT? If they recognise your skills surely they could support you to find an SLT post at another school within the mat. What pay scale are you? Could some of your responsibilities be UPS (if you are this?)

It sounds like they are unpleasant and determined not to progress you. In a Hollywood film you would somehow change their minds, but in real life you should probably apply elsewhere.

Why?
Why are you working for free? Stop it !
Work the hours you’re paid for . Do your best with the time and resources you have been given.

Why?
Why are you working for free? Stop it !
Work the hours you’re paid for . Do your best with the time and resources you have been given.

Definitely leave.

No, some of her responsibilities could not be ups as ups does not come with added responsibilities.

I've worked in lots of schools/ colleges. Some are just toxic.
I'd leave

They haven’t advertised for years but have taken on new members.

Do you mean people who are asked to attend SLT meetings?

Do you know if they are actually paid on the leadership scale?

I have been seconded within the MAT as SLT but they could only afford it for a year. I have offered to join strategy meetings without pay (for the experience) but they said they can’t say when they will be because SLT meetings are ‘kind of fluid’. Take that how you will…

Jump ship. Move to get promoted.

Two are and some aren’t. To clarify, I recently completed my MA with a specialism in educational leadership and some internal headship training with the MAT, yet was told I didn’t have as much experience or knowledge as some of my other ‘certain’ colleagues. Which is incorrect. Which is why I say I am supported in the MAT but am weirdly ‘unworthy’ in my own school, in which I have worked for the last 11 years apart from my secondment. It was very heavily implied I am way down on the list. I’m not expecting my HT to make me SLT if she doesn’t think I am suitable, but I have received no support from her. Not even a congratulations for completing any of my training. I feel like I’m whinging now 😂

THIS!

You have to make a sustained and considerable contribution to the whole school/ beyond if you are on UPS. Some of the work could come under that.

I know I mentioned pay in my original post but it’s more important to me that I make progress and gain the experience to move up the leadership ladder. More strategic, whole-school planning and operational than more subject areas to lead or wider school responsibilities. These are guarded very closely.

Ah, what you are referring to is the BOC brigade.

AKA, bunch of cunts.

@Mamma246 just do what your job description says and let the brown noses do the hard work. dont make it easier for them.

I’d speak to your MAT and see if other opportunities are coming up in other schools. It sounds like you’re super keen to take on leadership roles.

You know there are other schools right?

Are there SLT jobs in other schools? It's not worth staying in such a toxic environment if you're actively trying to progress in your career.

I work in FE and current SLT are narcissistic, power hungry arseholes, who go from kicking others down when things don't go their way, or pat themselves on the back when others have got the results they want.

Don't be one of these kiss up amd kick down middle.managers. Know your worth and go.

Another vote for a new job here. Been in this situation myself and not been valued or acknowledged for doing the extra. Plenty of schools out there would jump at the chance to have you as an employee.

Another vote for a new job here. Been in this situation myself and not been valued or acknowledged for doing the extra. Plenty of schools out there would jump at the chance to have you as an employee.

Haha yes i do, it’s just hard to leave somewhere you care about. Occupational hazard I suppose.