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.

Because when people leave work suddenly with no explanation it’s usually a sacking.

Not in supply teaching, it isn’t.

Loads of schools use teachers on a supply basis when one leaves part way through a year. Highly likely one left at Xmas and they’ve covered it with long term supply
ever since.

I wouldn't, if it had anything to do with or was going to impact the children, then the school would have to explain. But it could be anything from health issues, grievance, home emergency etc

Because when people leave work suddenly with no explanation it’s usually a sacking. If he was unwell and they were organising a replacement they would have said so. If he was leaving for another job they would have wished him well in the letter (as they have done previously when teachers have left). The fact they said nothing about why he vanished is very suspicious.
You're just looking for drama OP.

School don't tend to drag out notice periods. Those that follow the burgundy book will follow those processes, though there is some discretion.

Supply staff often have the ability to leave without notice. I've known some people leave schools with no notice because they decided they didn't want to work at that school any more or something came up in their family, or they chose supply work because the lack of notice periods suited their family situation with a spouse who works away or suits their other caring responsibilities.

Let's be honest, the sort of parents who take to a parenting forum furious they've not been told why someone left and have convinced themselves it's suspicious aren't the sort of rational parents who'd accept "left for personal reasons" either because they're the sort of gossipy people who'd speculate if it was illness, have they got a new post, was personal reasons a euphemism for leaving before sacked and so on. Some people are nosy gossips.

I can understand that angle but the rest of your posts are massive entitlement. Its none of your business why the teacher left. You're not entitled to that information and its pretty shitty of you to say you'd be happy if something bad's happened to the teacher/family. If it involved your child you would know and if it doesn't it is NONE of your business.

If your child struggles with change then Id ask to speak to the school about adding something to the EHCP about needing notice where possible of any changes in routine/teacher and so on...

It isn't any of your business why the teacher left. If he had directly hurt your child the school would have told you. Teachers at my dc school leave all the time, it's no big deal (well it is for the poor head teacher who has to keep finding new ones). My ds year 6 teacher has been off on compassionate leave since October and now he is on phased return. Their class has had various different supply teachers since then. Some have stayed for a while, some only a week. I told the head teacher that we don't mind, the most important thing is that the teacher is ok and takes as much time as he needs. My younger ds part time teacher retired and the new one quit after a week because the class were too difficult. To be fair, they are and the other teacher in the job share is an absolute saint. That class is being taught by the head teacher some of the time at the moment because they can't find anyone else.

All I care about is my own child. I don’t care why the teacher left. I just want to know that there has not been misconduct.

Absolutely none of your business

It is my business if the teacher has left due to misconduct.

So say you found out it was due to misconduct (but that didn’t directly affect your dc - because otherwise you’d already know etc etc) What would you do? How would this information help you?

The post you're quoting basically says the school didn't inform you until they had a replacement because of these sorts of reactions. It didn't agree with you that you should have been informed. If how youre coming across in this thread is a real reflection of what you're experiencing right now I'd suggest you get some mental health support, your catastrophizing and rather badly. This isn't a healthy reaction to a teacher leaving.

You really need to stop and refocus your energies on the things that are important now. You have no right to further explanation, as has been explained by many many posters now.

Surely knowing why the teacher left won't make any difference to how your autistic child will cope with the situation.

If it’s criminal then you’ll find it online before the police and school send a letter out. (Voice of experience)

Are you sure that he left suddenly and wasn’t hired for just the term?

If he’s sick then you have no right to know details.

Fucking hell. Main character syndrome.

Playground busybody wants a bit of gossip

They told us he was the new class teacher. He was in the class photographs. There was no indication that he was not a permanent member of staff who would not be staying long term.

I don’t want details if he’s sick. I’d just like clarification about whether he was sacked, ie whether there was unacceptable behaviour that could have affected my child. There were at least two children who were scared of him and my own DC has said he was always shouting. I’m worried about what he’s done to get kicked out so suddenly.

Good god - how many people have to tell you - you have no rights to know why someone has left employment.

If there was a safeguarding concern then you would already know. Since you don't, the reason is nothing to do with you.

None of your business

Exactly.

Doubtless OP will be setting the gossip machine in motion on Monday morning.

There was no indication that he was not a permanent member of staff who would not be staying long term.

No, schools probably wouldn’t put teacher photos up with ‘supply’ next to them. Again, that is a HT decision and nothing to do with you.

It has absolutely nothing to do with you why this man left. Whether he is ill/failed probation/argued with the caretaker/decided to leave because one of the parents of his class was a complete nightmare and drove him to a new job. Still, nothing to do with you.

@Cristall how much are the school fees a term and how much have you contributed to the new school building?

If it was misconduct that affected your child the school would inform you.
Any other reason is not your business.
A teacher at my school ‘left immediately’ after a cancer diagnosis.
The parents weren’t informed for many weeks because he didn’t want anyone to know.