To ask is this quite normal for primary schools?

[Tannie10]

I’m looking at schools for my DS. I had a look round the school that is closest to us. I liked it but realised they have very little male staff. I think only 1 male teacher in y4 and it’s a 2 form school. I think they had 3 male TAs. But absolutely no male staff at all in the infants part of the school. Is this quite normal?

Very, there are no male teachers or TAs at present even the caretaker / lunch staff/ cleaners are women. I’ve had children at the school/ nursery for 12 years there has been a male NQT for a year and a part time teacher for a few years who was male who left but that is it.

It’s about 50/50 at high school though.

Yep.

Though at my son's primary school, he had a male teacher in Year 1 and a male TA in Reception. Both are still there and he's in Year 5 now.

In our village primary, 2 form intake, there are 2 male teachers (both keystage leads, so SLT) and one male TA.

My DH is a primary teacher. The only other male in the entire school (3 form entry) is the head.

I’d say it’s normal for primary, my daughter is year 4 and never had a male teacher, they’ve had a couple but most have left so there isn’t many in the school now.

My DCs are at a suburban double-intake primary. There is one male teaching assistant, and a male agency worker who does PE. And a janitor who also drives the minbus because there isn't a single D1 licence amongst the teaching staff.

They've had three heads in the last 15 months though, and they've all been male.

I work in a primary. For a couple of years the only male member of staff was the caretaker. We now have 3 male teachers but have only ever had a male TA on short term supply

There’s a definite benefit to having a balanced distribution and giving children -
young boys in particular - good male
role models.

Very normal. I trained as a primary school teacher, and out of our 200odd cohort I think there were maybe 3 males

@Notmyrealitysure, but schools are not banning rough play or whatever rubbish they post said because there’s not many blokes.
Im long term school staff and can certainly attest to that

Yep. Especially for the early years. Tbh with all the accidents and toileting I can understand it. Men probably worried about being accused.

Two male teachers at my kids primary school (3 form entry, multicultural area 3 miles from large city) and two male TAs/support staff.

I agree with the poster - the primary school classroom and playground is very sedate and feminine (in the old fashioned definition of the word). I live opposite a primary school and the playground has become a much quieter place over the years.
Men can be reluctant to work in primary schools - so many parents (mumsnetters especially) think all men are potentially paedophiles. (Putting on tin hat)
This thread is refreshing pro male in outlook

No male teachers at my dc school.

I don’t think that is right in respect of leadership being mainly male in Primary schools. In my experience Primary education is one profession where having the majority of leadership being female is not unusual. Secondary leadership can be predominantly male

Yeah at primary it's always been much more women. Plenty of schools have no male teachers.

At secondary there's loads though.

Yes common and normal. My ds10 is in y6 and has never had a permanent male class teacher. He has been taught by a male supply teachers and the male deputy HT in case of illness but all the long standing ones have been female.

Well MN thinks any man who wants to work with young children is a nonce so it's hardly surprising...

This is completely normal in my experience.

usually a couple of male teachers/TAs, the site manager and maybe a sports coach.

There are more male staff in secondary schools.

My husband wanted to be a primary school teacher but didn't as the pay was too low and he didn't like the thought of all the unpaid work teachers seem to do in the evenings. This is it I think. If pay and conditions improved and if people actually started to respect teachers more, many more men would join the profession.
Women tend to put up with less

I think it’s normal. My school has a lot of male staff and I always assumed we were quite rare. Out of 12 teachers, 5 are male. We have quite a few male TAs as well.

It's a shame as there are some superb male teachers around.
My children's school in the early 2000s had a lot of male teachers. It was private and my son really benefited from the male role model as his dad was in poor health and didn't have the good father son relationship they should have had.

Girls can struggle with those things as much as boys! And both sexes equally need to have kind hands, sit calmly at the appropriate time, but will struggle to sit calmly all the time.

Football at break is often banned or limited due to dominating a limited space. Not because football is wrong per se.

I agree with the OP that not having any male teachers is a shame, but obviously it’s common. They can’t magic up male teachers.

I think the disadvantage in it is that the kids don’t get to see men in a teaching or nurturing role. Not that the women teachers are somehow favouring girls.

Yes, I think this is the problem.

One male teacher at our primary

There’s constantly threads on here with parents saying they wouldn’t allow a male nanny or nursery staff near their child. So no wonder men don’t want to go near small children. It’s not worth the hassle. How would male primary teachers deal with toilet issues etc if they’re “not allowed” near these children?