I'm hoping that someone can give me some advise about my position at work.
I work as a teaching assistant and over the course of three years I have been subjected to bullying behaviour from a few members of staff.
I had one incident where I was verbally abused in the class room by another t.a. who then didn't speak to me for two years.
The following year I began working with a teacher who became difficult to work with after she had taken a demotion as she was unable to cope with the demands of the role having had a baby. I was asked to cover classes and not given the planning until the lesson had started. The planning was difficult to understand and therefore difficult to teach. When I spoke to her about this I was clearly distressed as I felt as though I'd failed and she responded by making vague comments about how great I was.
A year on, and still working with this teacher, she would ask me to work with different children to what was indicated on the planning when she was being observed, she would interupt me when I was working with groups of children with matters that could have been discussed latter along with other trivial things. I brought this to the attention of the head in October, hoping that it would remain confidential, however it was clear by the actions of staff that they had been informed. The head had said that she would tell a teacher who I could turn to for support, however her response was to tell me gossip about the teacher with whom I was working and I responded by saying I wasn't interested. After this my work load increased with 5 more children being placed on IEP's, (there were already 6). I was expected to plan work for children that I was not qualified to do and I was denied training, (I regret refusing).
I would walk through the door in the morning and asked to take the class and I would be expected to teach literacy and numeracy.
At the end of March I clearly wasn't coping and I was signed off work with stress. I arranged to go into school with the union. Prior to this meeting I received several phone calls from staff telling me this wasn't necessary and I should just return to work. I took union in as I wasn't convinced. The head said all the right things and I believed all would be ok. The head suggested a phased return to work and that we would discuss the details when I returned.
Since this time the head has been reticent about carrying out anything that she has agreed to do and I have had to phone the union several times. Staff have been 'off' with me at times and ok at other times. Someone that I once considered a friend, (whom I knew before I worked at the school and had been on holiday with) now turns out isn't my friend, but has become friends with the head. (Im concerned as I have confinded in her in past when I've been angry about what is happening and have prob said things in heat of moment).
I'm now off sick again as staff were being continually pedantic about minor incidents, asking me to make decisions about children etc and I have absolutely no confidence left. I am also worried about applying for other jobs as I have been off work with stress and that doesn't look great. If it hadn't been for this I would only have had 2 days off in 2 years.
I am now expected to attend a mediation meeting and know that all that will happen is the head will be her usual charming self and then when I return to work it'll be worse than before.
Sorry this post so long but I'm at my wits end