Would you pursue this with the school?

[Cristall]

I found out during the Easter holidays that DC’s teacher left suddenly a fortnight before the holidays started. Nobody was informed until the email arrived earlier this week. The teacher had only worked there since Christmas. There’s a replacement teacher taking over after the holidays.

I’m concerned that the teacher left so suddenly. My thinking is that if nothing was amiss the school would have made him work his notice, at least until Easter. The fact he left so suddenly makes me think he’s been sacked for some unknown incident.

Would you ask the school for clarification? Do I have the right to demand it? At the very least I want to know if he quit or was sacked - and if he was sacked, why.

Schools tend to work in very mysterious ways over things like this. It’s unsettling for everyone (including other teachers: we often don’t know either) but I do understand why.

No, you have no right to know.

I don’t have the right to know whether the teacher’s behaviour (which may have affected my child) has resulted in a sacking incident?

You don't have the right to demand information about a member of staff like that, just like parents don't have the right to demand how long someone is off sick, or why someone is absent.

The class has been covered and there's a new member of staff starting after the holidays.

You have no right to know anything. If your child was directly affected (ie if there were any misconduct directly related to your child) you would know. Otherwise it’s none of your business.

What if the teacher wasn't sacked but they had a dreadful family emergency? Would that make you feel better?

Yes.

How do you know he did not work his notice? Mayb4 he only agreed to work a certain number of weeks and had agreed to start another job two weeks before Easter. Maybe he got ill or had a family bereavement. There are lots of possible reasons. The school will not tell you.

It’s quite unlikely they’ve been dismissed. It isn’t impossible but unlikely. More likely resigned albeit under a cloud.

People think that teaching is a super secure job and it really isn’t. It’s only as secure as your last observation.

@Cristall , there are so many options:
The teacher is sick and is on sick leave
The teacher is on long term compassionate leave
It was a short term contract with a short notice period
The teacher was offered another job for the summer term at another school so handed in their notice
The teacher had been observed and was unlikely to pass their probationary period so decided to leave and search for another job rather than failing their probationary.
Etc etc

Even if you were to ask, they wouldn't tell you.
Sorry, but it's none of your concern. Just be grateful they have found someone (anyone!) to cover the class.

You do not have the right to know why they have left, no.

If they’ve only been there since Christmas, they might have been employed on a supply basis or short-term contract.

No.

Almost certainly not sacked btw as that is quite a lengthy process of investigation etc and they wouldn’t be able to resolve it as quickly as it has been. Eg I know of a teacher being investigated for gross misconduct & they have been suspended from work since the autumn term but it’s still not resolved. Most probably they decided they weren’t suited to either the school or teaching in general & everyone involved decided it was just easier for them to go sooner rather than later.

If your child had come to direct harm from this teacher, you would already know.

We thought it must be something really bad for him to leave so suddenly. Schools usually drag out the notice period for months. A sudden departure is very worrying because we immediately assumed there must have been some misconduct followed by sacking. I don’t think it’s reasonable to worry parents by refusing to give a reason for the sudden departure, even if it’s just “he decided to leave for personal reasons”.

It’s highly likely that the teacher walked out after a disagreement with leadership.

If the teacher has only worked there since Christmas they may be on long term supply in which case there isn't always a notice period

He could have been on a supply contract and could walk when he liked.

It's the teachers GDPR I think. They may have been supply teaching and had another job to go to. Perhaps they gave a month's notice, 2 weeks pre April holiday and 2 weeks during it. Maybe unreasonable behaviour of parents is an ongoing issue, common reason for teachers leaving. Regarding your point if the teacher was sacked, try sacking a teacher, it takes a lot and is quite rare! You'd have been informed if your child was harmed by an adult working with them. Look at the other factors that could make a teacher think, "fuck this" and see what can be improved upon.

Not really, he must have been in his probation period. So they can tell him to sling his hook for just being a bad teacher.

If it was something that involved your child you’d know.

In fact, the likelihood is that if it was anything to do with any child you’d know. School gates are not known for their lack of gossip.

Schools usually drag out the notice period for months.

Schools don’t ‘drag’ anything out. They follow the notice periods in the Burgundy book where teachers have to give notice at a half term, to leave at the end of a term.

This teacher is likely to have been working on a supply basis since Christmas. They might have found another job/the school found someone else.

Why on earth would you think you have any right to be told personal business?? Mind your own! If your child was affected you would have been told
The entitlement is astounding!

It is my business to know whether my child has been exposed to misconduct resulting in the teacher being sacked.

If it was a serious incident/safeguarding incident then there will be protocols that have to be followed so in such cases schools aren’t allowed to give information. It may be that they found another job and were released early. You’re not entitled to information but I can see why it’s unsettling.