WWYD - Teacher absence, school not getting Supply Teachers?

[CardyMow]

DS1 has told me tonight that as his teacher won't be in tomorrow or the day after. (attack of the squits halfway through the day, school applies the 48 hr rule to teachers as well as pupils).

However - My Y5 DS1's class has been told that for the next two days, they will be split into groups of 6/7 and split between the two Y6 classes and the two Y4 classes. (There is only one Y5 class, smallest Yr group in the school).

Why would they do this instead of getting a Supply teacher? My precocious DS1 asked, as it has been the norm in this situation in the past at the school, if they would have a supply teacher, only to be told of this 'new' arrangement, and when he asked why, was given two different reason's by his class teacher (who is also the Dep. HT). One is that "Supply teachers don't teach to an acceptable standard" (Patently rubbish), and "Maybe there aren't any available for the next few days". (Again, patently total rubbish).

Obviously this is being done due to budgetting issues, and having no budget for Supply teachers - but it will leave BOTH Y4 classes and BOTH Y6 classes with between 36 and 40 pupils for the next two days. NOT acceptable IMO. What can I do - if anything?

sorry, I am a little alarmed that you actually know that your ds's teacher has an "attack of the squits" - how would you know this very personal information?

The first claim - that supply teachers are crap - is of course untrue. The second claim may be true but how can you prove it?

Sounds like a weird teacher.

Well Wednesday most teachers are striking so that's probably put everything up in the air

They may have problems on Wednesday due to the strike action, as this does include some supply teachers.

We don't cover first day absence. The regular TA is used to cover first day sickness.

Supply teachers not good enough - rubbish. We have several regular supply teachers we use who are very good.

Wouldn't be happy with the arrangements proposed personally.

Am a little surprised that the deputy head was willing to discuss such matters with a 9/10 year old. I think that's taking the pupil voice a little too far.

At certain times of year, especially when there is a lot of illness going round, it can be a nightmare to find quality supply teachers in my area. We have a list of 30+ teachers that I start phoning round when I get a sickness call at about 6.45am (flu bug and tummy bug going round whole area I think). Last week, at the end of the list I finally found a supply teacher who was free. A qualified and experienced upper KS2 teacher; for a day's teaching in Reception. I had already seen this teacher in action and knew they lacked the experience and personality to be successful with young children in their first term in school, but what else could I do?

I too thought it was odd how DS1 knew what was the matter with his teacher - So I asked. He was sent to find the HT when his class teacher ran to the loo - the CHILDREN'S loos!! I assume DS1 put two and two together!

Regular TA? The only two TA's in the school are hired for 1-2-1 with very disabled dc.

Normally (i.e. for the last 7 years) the school get supply teachers to cover absences like this. I'm a tad unhappy with the fact that DS1 will be stuck in a Y4 or Y6 class with 40-ish pupils in. OK it won't cover Wednesday - half forgot it was the strike. Hmm, suppose it's not the end of the world for one day, would make a big fuss if it was for more than that. I might leave it if it is only for one day, but I am concerned that this may be a frequent occurence whenever a teacher is off sick from now on.

Which is a concern, as I also have a younger dc there too, DS2 is in Y3 in a Y group of 90, if he was put in a different Y group it would be a higher one, as they have to be in the same KS (so DS1 tells me he was told by his class teacher). And DS2 has Sn, so would spend the whole day being very confused, and probably melt down if he had to go to a different class etc - he has asd.

Hulababy The regular TA is used to cover first day sickness

How is this possible? This is not allowed by law. Or did you mean HLTA?

OP it is entirely likely that supply teachers were not available, this does happen occasionally, especially when there is a lot of sickness around as there tends to be this time of year.

But is it acceptable that the class should be shoved into another Yr group's class, making that class hold 40-ish pupils? (especially the ones put into Y6, as by Y6 the classes tend to run between 32 and 35 here, DS1's Y5 class now has 31 in). Surely even if the school can't get a supply teacher, they could use the 'floating teacher' that they have got employed to cover all the other teacher's PPA time? Or is it that they then wouldn't have cover for THAT class?

TBH the 'floating teacher' thing is new too - they got a VERY good male teacher last year to cover another teacher's MAT leave, didn't want him to leave even though they don't have a class for him, so they employed him to 'keep' him, to cover PPA time for the other classes. I assume that's where the 'Supply teacher' budget has gone, having a FT teacher without a set class to teach?

So what normally happens in a school without TA's?

The school has changed it's 'working practices' significantly this year, as they are trying to get Academy status. So I don't know what is happening, and whether this is a one-off, or likely to become the new 'norm' whenever there is teacher sickness, and I am concerned about the impact especially on my DS2 who has asd. He can cope with a TA covering te class, in HIS OWN CLASSROOM, but a deviation from that would be horrific for him.

Oh - and why can't the HT cover the class instead of splitting them between the other classes?

AFAIK the insurance payments don't kick in until the third day, so the school would be paying for supply out of its own budget.
Which it probably can't afford.
Do they split classes on other occasions, if the teacher is out for an afternoon at a sporting event with children for example?
I'd write a letter setting out your questions and objections and see what sort of answer you get.

Floating teacher? I don't know of any school with one of those. PPA is covered by HLTAs and with budgets as they are that would be a real luxury.
As an aside, PPA is the teacher's legal entitlement and can't be cancelled to cover staff absence.

Our insurance kicks in a lot later than three days. Can't remember how long, but it was set like that to reduce the insurance premium.

Nope, well they never have split the classes for any reason in previous years, they covered it with the TA's that all vanished in July.

Yep, they have a 'floating' teacher, that covers PPA for all the other teachers in the school. Mostly because they will need an extra teacher in the school when DS1's small, single intake year group leaves. Right now, the school has 14 classes, but from September 2013, they will have 15. Permanantly.

On the plus side, the reason I assume they have done this with the 'floating' teacher is that he is an excellent teacher, and I assume they didn't want to lose him.

Not that it helps him to cover sickness when he is already covering PPA for two other teachers tomorrow!

Actually, Abigail, I am a floating PPA teacher! In a school with significant SEN and behaviour issues, it makes a huge difference to have a teacher who knows the children well covering PPA. Lots of schools cover PPA with a teacher.

On the op issue, schools used to split classes regularly to cover absence, but it is less common now. I suspect the supply budget has already been spent.

"The school has changed it's 'working practices' significantly this year, as they are trying to get Academy status."

That'll be because of budget cuts, not because the school is trying to get academy status. No doubt the school will be trying to get academy status because of budget cuts too.

I remember that happening a few times we were at primary school and it being a really positive thing. You made friends in other years and got to do different things with different teachers.

It was much better than when they got in a supply teacher because the teachers already knew us and could know that a certain Steven needed to be under their eyes, Emily giggled non stop unless separated from bf and the bully needed to be put away from certain people, preferably in the strictest teacher's group...

AbigailS all our PPA is covered by qualified teachers. We have 6 part time teachers that cover the 16 class teachers PPA time. We do still get supply in when teachers are unwell though, unless it is very short notice then it is covered within a year group with the other class teacher and the two TAs. Lucky to be a two form entry school with a full time TA in every class.

i wish i could find part time posts. there is only one teaching job for this region on tes would you believe. been like that for ages.

sorry taht was random. no, i wouldn't be happy with it either hunty and would contact school to query it if you want answers.

Fairenuff - not HLTA, level 3 TAs. Completely legal. Level 3 TAs can cover teacher sickness up to 3 days iirr, although our school only covers first day sickness using the TA and only using the TA from that class. L3 TAs can also be used for PPA cover.

Our school is changing things slightly in that myself and another TA are becoming HLTAs. Job not started yet as waiting for the other TA to qualify,s hould be end of Jan (I don't need to as have QTS) but when it does we will cover all PPA. The other TAs will then not do PPA but will still be used for first day teacher sickness.

We are extremely fortunate- our head does a lot of consultancy work which means we hardly see her but brings the school a lot of extra funds which is put into the most valuable resource hard working qualified staff and it has paid off according to the mighty OFSTED! Hard working TAs are in my opinionn the glue that holds a school together mine is my right arm and I don't know what I would do without her!

Huntycat it does seem strange that they already know the teacher will be off for 2 days but aren't looking for supply. Adding 6 extra children to classes that only have a class teacher and no Tas isn't going to do any of the children or the teachers any good. Will probably see more teachers ill by the end of the week as they will be overstretched, rundown and will end up picking up all the nasty bugs flying around!

TAs can supervise classes for short periods (2-3 days) if the head considers they are up to the job our insurance doesn't kick in for two weeks! and it's almost impossible to find good supply cover around here if our regular on call supply staff aren't available for some reason.