6th form Students being vindictive

[Heathcliffitsmeee]

Has anyone else in Independent Schools experienced this? I took an A'Level group over in April 2023 Y12. They had had one teacher leave at Christmas who was, according to colleagues, a great teacher but she just didn't like the school. The class was taken over by another competent colleague but the class moaned about her (I don't know why) so I was put on as a new member of staff. I am very experienced (25 years, A Level examiner for the board ) and now... they are moaning about me! Both recent observations were 1s (yes, they are still grading!), the HoD and Head are both fully supportive of me but 3 y13 girls are determined to bring me down. The School doesn't recognize Unions but I am seriously worried about the culture. One of the girls has already shouted in the face of one of her Science teachers but was allowed to not apologise. The other four in the group are fine - getting on with work etc. The three in question come in later, talk over me often, don't do homework. I spend a lot of time preparing lessons (all day today for next week and half term, for example) and do a significant amount of one to one coaching with the other four- who seek me out for help. Any ideas for how to move on? Or do I cut my losses, resign and build on my tutoring business which causes me less anxiety...

If the Head and HoD are not helping you sort out the problem then they are not fully supportive. I am presuming the schools discipline procedures are not very robust which is why these students are continuing to disrupt. Therefore I would leave and build your tutoring business.

I'd talk to them individually. Mix of charm offensive and empathy building.

The HoD and Head are not genuinely supportive of you if they have not intervened to resolve this, and a school that ‘doesn’t recognise unions’ is one that will hang you out to dry if an unfounded allegation is made against you.

In your position I would leave and tell them why. The sector-wide recruitment and retention crisis is now so extensive that independent schools are feeling it too and they will have to learn that they cannot afford not to protect their staff.

So what you're essentially saying is the school won't safeguard you if these students were to make unfounded allegations. I would run for the hills.

i'd be wondering if the school had financial problems to be honest and so were prepared to accept sub optimal behaviour from pupils. take a look at their accounts to charity Foundation and use them as part of your decision. DD was at an independent up to year. 11 and there was no way behaviour like that would have been tolerated for long

depending on your subject there's a high chance a state school will snap you up or your tutoring will be highly sought after.

We've experienced this. In Scotland so sixth year not sixth form (slightly different set up) but the kids are very vocal about their rights and the trauma caused to them by any changes to staffing, timetabling etc. They seem to lack the critical thinking skills that would allow them to understand that people get sick, people change jobs, things happen and it just all becomes a blame game.

I’m an ex teacher, (now private tutor) and this situation, whereby pupils think it is acceptable to try and get a teacher to resign or even attempt to get them sacked seems to be getting increasingly common in schools. I wonder if the time pupils spent criticising their own parents trying to teach them during lockdowns is contributing to this. I’ve heard of two different local schools (both state schools with great reputations) where a group of older pupils have started slanderous petitions calling for the sacking of a particular teacher, which they’ve attempted to get all their peers and younger pupils to sign.

Another possibility is these 3 girls feel abandoned by their former teacher, who they consider left them in in the lurch for no good reason just after starting their A Level course and, as they cannot show their feelings of anger and rejection to her, they are blaming and taking it out on you. Have you tried talking to them about their feelings regarding this teacher leaving?

If you’ve tried that and exhausted all other strategies then, personally, I would be telling the Head that unless these 3 girls are told in no uncertain terms their behaviour will no longer be tolerated and they will be removed from your lessons the next time they are so rude and disruptive then you will be leaving at Easter. You need to protect yourself because if one of these girls does make an allegation against you then it will not just be your school teaching career that suffers.

Yes, I had this happen on more than one occasion in a small girls' independent school. Along with endless termtime absences for holidays and drinking of litres of water and therefore spending much of the lesson in the loo.

Normally when you have the first parents' evening, it begins to make sense...

They're year 13 though - assuming they have study leave from say mid April, you've only got to tolerate them another 6 weeks or so and then you can focus on moulding your new year 12s (and finding another job!)

How's the syllabus coverage - is there much more to do?

Will they do timed silent work? Will they shut up if you play a video clip?

Thank you all so much for your replies. I stewed over this for ages and then invited the 6th form Head to sit in while I gave the class a lecture. I told them how hard I'd worked to make up for the teacher who left, how angry I had been to have my integrity questioned and how disgusted I was by their underhand behaviour. I also said that they are entitled to my expertise but not my good will and if they wanted more they would have to build bridges. I said their actions had consequences and that I come very very close to resigning on the spot and not returning on Monday. I was empowered to say all this because my husband said "leave, it's not worth it", I know the other four in the group the other three were being pathetic and made a point of making sure I knew that, and I had a recruiter call me via Linked In on the same day. I haven't handed my notice in yet but I am just too old for this shit. I can work anywhere - I don't have to put up with dickheadery. On the plus side, the three were on time, had done their homework and made some attempts to join in the lessons this week, so maybe the blasting had an effect!