School Strikes 26th March - Invoicing the LEA

[Bexinder]

Just wanted to share what I'm doing, and I wonder if we can get some sort of campaign going. Lots of UK schools are closed due to teacher's industrial action next Wednesday 26th March. Given that we parents have absolutely no leeway when it comes to taking children out of school during term time and will be hit with heavy fines per child if we do without permission, I'm invoicing my local education authority for failing to provide education on this day. They haven't asked MY permission to allow the school to close.....Now I'm not expecting them to pay this at all, but I am wanting to cause a stink. They can close the school over the pay and pensions row, but I can't take my children out of school for a funeral.
Sorry - rant over... if anyone wants to copy the invoice, let me know and I'll post it. Thanks!

Erm, except that's how performance management works across the board now. Didn't you know that children are not individuals with individual needs and issues? They're all actually just statistics. Each one expected to just do 'the norm'. Wait, no, every child is now expected to make better than average progress or your teacher isn't good enough. Although if everyone is above average then surely that isn't average? Another one of Gove's amazingly stupid ideas.

well, NearThewindymill, my PM targets require that 1) my year 11s are to hit their targets (currently averaging 1/2 a grade above them), 2) I get a 'good' or better lesson observations with the same group (not dropped below 'good with outstanding features' in years) & 3) I organise a shedload of extra stuff (boosters, mentoring colleagues, organising trips, that sort of thing).

I won't be getting the 5% you're so kindly offering because I'm at the top of the payscale & not eligible for further increments, but I'm happy not to take it anyway, given that my colleague with an extremely challenging bottom set year 11 is unlikely to meet the first two of hers, despite being an excellent teacher & working considerably harder than I have to with my nice, clever, top set.

Luckily for her, she's not eligible for a threshold increment this year, as she'd be unlikely to get it; HOD will make sure she gets a group with whom it's do-able next year, & it'll be my turn for a 'challenging' group.

which is only fair, but colleague's actually much better with the lower ability groups than I am, & enjoys working with them.

So my experience is: we do have robust PM, & generally that's fine, but it distorts all sorts of other stuff which is also quite important - like matching students to the person with the best skills.

It also doesn't reward the right people - there's no question that my colleague will have done more than me by June to earn any incentives going - & yet the data would have it that I've 'met my targets' & she hasn't.

Who is OFSTEAD?!?!?

That cannot be how performance management works because performance management has to evidence a fair dismissal and a fair process that takes account of all factors. If anything else is being implemented then managers are behaving inappropriately and beyond employment law and on that basis there would be a case for unfair dismissal or a union supported appeal.

But, then, what would I know

Clearly very little.

What do you think teachers are striking about?!

But, then, what would I know

On the basis of your comments on this thread, you mean? Or do you also work for OFSTEAD?

I said rtft. But you can type the long version if you like and take offence if you like.

Ah, yes, the pm. Would that be the one where you first sent me an EXTREMELY goady pm off thread, knowing EXACTLY how I would react, and ran crying to MN when I inevitably did? I'm really surprised you've mentioned that, given that you revealed your Dh's job in it and begged me not to say anything.

Don't worry, your silly secret is safe - but in your position I really wouldn't say any more, your behaviour was and is absolutely outrageous.

2little1s I mark no apologies for having 13 weeks a year off, the hours I work for the rest of the year make up for it. I also think that the job needs to have perks to attract people like it. I left a previous much higher paying career because I wanted those 13 weeks a year off. I remain in the job because I want those 13 weeks year off.

Teachers are striking about the terms of service but also about the changes in education with are detrimental to our young people .

I have no real issue with PRP but acknowledge that it is difficult to do fairly.

"I've also worked for OFSTEAD"
PMSL! You've blown it 2little1s, you may as well fuck off now!

WindyMill the PM requirements that people have posted here are very typical of the requirements in schools over the last few years...it really is how PM is working in schools at the moment. Hence the unions being very active in their opposition.

2little1s if you had worked for Ofsted you would be very aware of the requirement about never revealing your status on social media.

She has made a typo, why are people laying into her for that? My post is littered with typos. The 3rd word is a typo! Will I get ripped to shred for it?

RTFT is "read the full thread" isn't it? (like RTFQ, as used when marking, is 'read the full question').

And, wherever sword have crosse in the past, it's reasonably clear who has stalked whom on to this thread. And it's unedifying.

near

That is exactly how PM works in schools.

2little1s

"funny how they only go on strike when their conditions of service are affected"

Funny that for someone who knows so much about teachers you don't know that they are only allowed to go on strike about their terms and conditions.

There has been performance management in teaching for many years. As well as targets involving children's levels etc, there is also the very obvious 'being observed teaching' process that occurs very regularly indeed - every half term in many schools, IME never less than once a term by members of the SMT - not top mention Ofsted inspections when those observation judgements are externally benchmarked as part of the inspection process.

It is interesting that those outside teaching see the introduction of performance related PAY to mean the beginning of performance management. Believe you me, the direct performance management - in terms of extra scrutiny, involvement of other teachers, SMT, advisors, subject leaders, HT, minute scutiny of plans etc etc - that follows on from a 'requires improvment' lesson observation, or in many schools aiming for Outstanding even a Good lesson observation is far more rigorous and 'hands on' than anything I ever saw when working in the private sector. And the same at a school-wide level for a school that gets RI or lower in Ofsted - the level of perfomance management in such schools is intense, daily, almost unbearable at times. But somehow, because it doesn't involve that word 'pay', it isn't recognised as performance management by those outside. Odd.

Should PM say that a percentage of children should hit a certain a certain level or grade regardless or target?

This year my two teaching targets are
80% of an exam class to hit a target
Rewrite certain schemes of work

It wasn't vile, you know it wasn't - I replied in exactly the same heated manner as I had on the thread to a PM you sent me first! Your behaviour is really, really odd. There was no way I was going to reply with hearts and flowers and you knew that. I asked you never ever to fucking attempt to pm me again and you chose to say because of that I had 'abused' you by pm. But you know that is all I said - as anyone in that position would, having been contacted by someone they were having a ding dong with on a public thread.

How do we know it was not a typo or an autocorrect?

Erm... I think you'll find that is exactly how performance management works. You have to get children to meet progress targets. Those are based upon all children learning at a linear rate irrespective of anything outside the classroom. I have a bottom set year nine, I am immensely proud of them, they turn up,to my lessons, behave and give the maths a go which is a massive achievement for them compared to last year. Many of them have tough home lives, are looked after children, or have to look after their younger siblings on a daily basis, 85% of them are pupil premium, 75% of them are on the SEN register. They have no confidence, little self esteem and no-one outside of school who believes in education. I am judged on whether or not they make two sub levels of progress the same as my colleagues who,teach the top set where we have children mostly with stable home lives, supportive parents, time and space to do work and people that support them in their education.

2little1s-are you a teacher?

.

Ok so I made a typo....have you never made one? I will reveal what I like on here, it is up to me. Despite your swearing I will continue posting.
GOVE FOR PM!