Stuck with same teacher for another year.

[mustbetimeforacreamtea]

School have informed parents that they have reviewed current staffing and dc's year are remaining with the same teacher. The teacher has had a reputation for some years due to poor discipline, favouritism and failure of less favoured children to progress. Parents have for months been counting the weeks until they were expected to move to the next teacher. The next teacher has a track record for bringing the children on in leaps and bounds.

There is widespread dismay at the news. Parents have been invited to comment but there is a reluctance to complain as the decision is unlikely to change and people are worried about the likely impact on their dcs if they do.

Some parents have chosen to send their dcs to other schools but this isn't practical for most.

WWYD?

Forget reputation - how do you feel your own child's education has been this year? Have you raised any issues thoughout the year? That is what to base feelings on not playground gossip. Different children respond to different teaching styles so all is not lost. Don't worry about what other parents think or do, just worry about your own child and stand up for them if needed.

I moved in this situation. Was v good decision.

I have raised a few things with mixed results. It's difficult to get to the bottom of some issues as the teacher will have one account and the classroom assistant an entirely different one. I have had positive reports of progress which then turn out not to be the case.

Gossip is one thing but querying with another parent if their child has experienced something is a bit different.

Me too buckskid, but I was the teacher not parent of a child.

Have you experienced any issues personally with your child's education while with this teacher or is this 'dismay' based on gossip about reputation? Have you seen this teacher teach? Has your child made progress this year? These are the things you need to consider.

Teacher initially had little time for dc and didn't disguise it. Dc has made progress in one area but has struggled in others and made little progress. Dc failed phonics test but teacher not putting plan in place to address this as "dc in top phonics group".

Nobody has seen teacher teach - parents are not allowed inside school premises unless specifically invited for a event as it is a child protection issue. However the stories that the children come with are very consistent. The teacher's own children are noticeably the worst behaved at school events and consistently reprimanded to little effect.

I have not seen any progression in maths, dc still making same errors as at start of year only feedback is that dc is on track and it's not an issue. As regards phonics failure I was told 40% of kids fail so again not a problem.

you have my sympathy we were in a similar position with the current teacher and were so relieved when we heard that she won't be teaching them next year. I guess it depends on what you think of the school in general and how it is further up the school. If you have concerns then it is worth raising them because issues such as discipline can be addressed through mentoring but only if they are aware of it.

No problems further up the school at all.

I understand your concerns, hopefully you may find that the teacher is better in another year.

Two experiences I've had:
When I was in year 4 I had a teacher who was okay. Never particualrly liked her, bit boring, but got through the year. I know my parents had concerns academically-things like spelling written wrong in the spelling book type thing.
When I went into year 6, the excellent teacher there left and she was moved up. I know my heart sank, and I think dp felt worse. But actually she was much better there. We had a lot of fun that year and really saw a new side to her. Don't know whether she'd just improved as a teacher, she preferred year 6, or had got stuck in a rut with year 4-she'd done it 5+ years.

At my dc's school there was a year 6 teacher. Lazy, didn't get the results, didn't keep on top of the discipline... children and parents groaned at his name. He moved down to year 3 a few years ago and he's the one the parents want. He's still so laid back he's almost horizontal, but the children and parents love him. I slightly chuckle when I hear parents raving about him, because I know (older dc) what his reputation used to be.

These may be the exceptions rather than the rule, but it can happen.

Please don't accept the 40% fail line (we got a 90% pass rate at our school). Sounds to me like the teacher is poor and I would be making a fuss about what support will be put in place to support the teacher in question and help raise the attainment of the class.
Sounds like the head doesn't do pupil profess meetings either or any gaps would have been highlighted. We have to do then every half term and report to the head who has made what progress etc.

Not sure I explained properly above... When I said please don't accept it I meant the teacher is talking crap... Nothing against your dd at all as unless the teacher taught her the material all year then I wouldn't have expected her to pass (and from what you've written about the teacher I expect she didn't!)

I'd go in and complain to the teacher first, I'd take reports and records of their levels (to show lack of progress) to back me up with a list of my concerns. If the situation didn't improve I'd be onto the head then the governors.

I work in a school and it's my experience that the parents who moan all the time about little things get ignored, but if you are only going in about a big issue, your name might be mud in the staff room but the teachers will put things right to stop you coming in complaining again.