Is this actually a thing!

[HappySonHappyMum]

My DDs year 13 class got a new Sociology teacher at the beginning of year 13. The teacher lasted two weeks before deciding that she was earning more as a private tutor. She went on long term sick and when this finished she refused to engage with the school and after the whole dismissal process had completed and she was sacked it was March. This means that my DD has not had any formal teaching for the whole of Paper 2 - just worksheets and the odd supply lesson here and there. I've heard via my DD that her school has asked for special consideration as they haven't had enough formal teaching. Is this a thing? How does it work - does anyone have any experience of this?

I'd be amazed. I know someone whose teacher died and was nit ever properly replaced and there was no special consideration. Ditto for my DS whose teacher was sacked 6 months before his music GCSE.

I really don't think a school can ask for special consideration for this. It's up to the school to manage staffing, and so many are in a similar situation with the recruitment and retention crisis. Special consideration is for something which cannot be controlled, whereas in theory the school could have organised a replacement teacher well before March, as difficult as that may be.

i.e. just because the teacher wasn't formally dismissed before March, the school could have organised cover by another teacher (supply, redeployed of another teacher etc), at any point.

They should not pay sick pay other than SSP which would soon stop abuse of sick leave, in schools. I know someone who took about 6 months off and used it to set up their new computer business whilst on the sick leave. I cannot remember what he was paid but it was definitely something even though he was lying about being sick or had something it is easy to fake.