No school

[chocolatesweets]

There are no supply teachers and my ds is off school.

Last time I checked, they were entitled to an education.

I would 100% train if I had help with childcare and funding

I trained as a single parent with three children, the youngest of which was just 3. There is funding and childcare out there.

I am sure from many many MN threads parents don't want unqualified people in charge of their children

I think it’s safe to say that MN parents on the whole couldn’t care less who was standing in front of their children. If they actually spent as much time listening to teaching staff on this site about the dire state of schools rather than telling us how shit we are, we might actually be able to hold the government to account. As it is, we have both a recruitment and retention crisis, ever decreasing budgets, older and experienced staff forced from their jobs, teachers buying their own essential (not nice to have or luxury) supplies, and an expectation that school staff continue to be frontline pandemic without any mitigation whatsoever.

Teaching was an incredibly pressured, high-stress job even before the pandemic. When I started teaching in 2002 it was much better but I soon got fed up of the constant micro management and working every evening and weekend. I loved the children and the parents were fine, but the wrong senior manager can break you. The pandemic has tipped teachers over the edge (including poorly-paid supply teachers). The Government needs to address the shortage of staff in teaching and the NHS. Actually find out why people leave and do something about it. But conditions only seem to get worse. And of course our children suffer as a result.

Ouch AntiMaskersAreTwats that's cruel. Most parents I know want their kids in school for education, wellbeing, socialisation and so they can work (to pay for food, rent, electricity etc.) Maybe some don't support teachers/schools but many do!

And don't forget parents have had absolutely no say in what happens with schools, despite personal views.

What would you suggest happens OP?

The inevitability of this was pointed out so many times over the past year, but too many people were far too busy telling everyone that Covid didn't spread in schools.

@chloworm

And don't forget parents have had absolutely no say in what happens with schools, despite personal views.

The Us4Them idiots managed to make themselves heard by the government. It’s a pity all these parents who apparently did care about keeping schools safe didn’t bother.

@PoinsettaPrincess

I decided in June I wasn’t returning to teaching after summer due to Covid. We had no extra cleaners, parents were sending their children in with symptoms and refusing to test, parents would not keep their distance from me at the classroom door and didn’t socially distance in the playground. During the first lockdown a lot of children were having sleepovers with friends and it was treated like an extra holiday. During the second lockdown the same thing happened. My phone hasn’t stopped ringing begging me to take on supply, no thanks! I’m not putting myself at risk. As a PP said teachers were treated awfully during the pandemic, I won’t forget that in a hurry nor will I forget the pure selfishness of parents sending their children into school with symptoms.

Understand how you feel. Please let me know what career you moved onto x

Also, not at school doesn’t mean no education.

Set them up with a project, websites to visit, books to read, etc

Our headteacher was amazing during the lockdowns, personally taking out schools dinners and getting in touch with the vulnerable children, strongly encouraging them to come in.
She got abuse thrown at her by parents of those children at home (not her fault - it was the government’s decision). So much last minute guidance from government. She is quitting and we can’t find a replacement- no one in their right mind wants to be a head teacher.

@OnceuponaRainbow18 but who will provide childcare? 😉

@AndMatt

You would train to be a supply teacher? That's not how it works.

You dont actually need training to be a supply teacher. An awful lot of supply is done by unqualified teachers. If PP wants to qualify, it's the same as any other teaching qualification and there are ways to get paid to do it.

Would you like to back that statement up with evidence?

Last time I checked, they were entitled to an education.

Are they receiving home learning?

If there are no supply staff available, and they have no staff available in school - what's the alternative?

@chocolatesweets

There are no supply teachers and my ds is off school.

Last time I checked, they were entitled to an education.

My son’s school has a rota for students. My son misses 3 days every fortnight due to lack of teachers. This has been the case since last half term. Can’t get teachers or supply. Not the schools fault.

That you can work as a supply teacher without a teaching qualification? I have two working in my school currently. Maths and Science and actually pretty good as supply teachers go.

If I was a teacher or supply I’d be reconsidering my options and looking for another career because who would honestly want to be in a school right now? Too much Covid around, Omicron risk, no mitigation’s in place with parents whinging about kids wearing masks in classes and a nightmare constantly playing catch up with kids who have been off.

No thank you very much.

@AndMatt

That you can work as a supply teacher without a teaching qualification? I have two working in my school currently. Maths and Science and actually pretty good as supply teachers go.

Academy? Primary or secondary?

The situation is going to get worse. Teachers are leaving my boys school in droves. I don't blame them either, it is a thankless job. The country will be on its knees now health care and educational staff are all leaving their posts due to the risks and stress.

We’ve not lost one teacher or support staff this year and maybe 8 teachers moved school last year but stayed in teaching.

@OnceuponaRainbow18

We’ve not lost one teacher or support staff this year and maybe 8 teachers moved school last year but stayed in teaching.

We lost two this Sept, aged 69 and 67. Both gone on much longer than they had to.

I’ve just registered as a supply TA. I had the choice of 8 schools to pick from last week. I couldn’t care less about covid. I’m 33, me and my family have all had it (been fine) and all been vaccinated.

I’m just planning on doing short term assignments and day to day supply for the time being. I did want to train to be a teacher but wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole now so just need some breathing space whilst I figure out another career path.

@HariboMaroon oh no, how come?

@chocolatesweets

I haven’t got the stamina for it. I still want a life outside of my job. I also like to be autonomous at work and I wouldn’t cope well being micromanaged. I’m enjoying being a supply TA though, but inevitably will move on at some point to earn more money.

[quote chocolatesweets]@HariboMaroon oh no, how come?[/quote]
Because teachers are overworked and underpaid as well as have a government against them, parents think you’re an unpaid childminder and since covid think it’s completely acceptable for you to have a class of over 25 children coughing, sneezing etc while they work from home a lot of the time. The amount of times I’ve heard “oh but it’s only a sniffle/cold” and they refused to get their child tested is awful. Schools went back with NO mitigation’s in place and people wonder why teachers are leaving or on long term sick leave?

We couldn't get supply today. All of our cover supervisors were busy all day and staff were asked to give up PPA to teach.
Last week I had to miss an a level class to teach gcse. We're at breaking point.

Us, too, MrsH.

3 year groups at home now and counting.

There are no staff. No options.