Now the supply teacher has gone. Is continuity just an oldfashioned notion?

[sparkysparkysparky]

Dd's teacher went on maternity leave before the end of the first term. This appeared to take the school (primary ) by surprise as they only started to recruit for her replacement after she left. And now the replacement has left at short notice. DD is 8 and whole year seems to have been one long exercise in coasting. Not sure dd has made much progress. Am I being incredibly naive to be fed up about this? It's parents evening soon. Do I shrug this off or do I ask for a clear plan of action?

and I have to say, sometimes when you come in as a Supply you can face a lot of hostility from parents, especially if teacher is on long term sick, It is as though it is seen as your fault. That can be wearing, and if you don't need the pressure...

Ok, can't help myself.

A. The teachers are just moving schools, not leaving teaching. All of these schools are really much of a muchness in a rural area. So teaching may be a nightmare of bureaucracy and paperwork and all the rest, but they are not leaving this. I am in Scotland, lest that make any difference.

B. I feel a sense of duty in my work. If I took a job teaching, in particular small children, I would feel a duty to fulfil that obligation at least until the end of the school year.

Obviously, it is different if someone is ill or pregnant, but as I have said this has not been the case in my dcs classes.

Aaaargh, must stop now.

The teachers are just moving schools, not leaving teaching.

In general, teachers don't leave schools part way through the year unless it's an amazing opportunity. I would suggest that if this is happening a lot then the management or paperwork expectations at THAT particular school (or schools) is untenable so the teachers are moving in search of a better team.

I think it's shocking, but at school as on here I am on a hiding to nothing by moaning, so just try to batter on.

We can only leave at three points in the year, which is pretty restrictive already. Sometimes teachers have partners who change jobs at times which are not permitted in teaching. I left my first school when my first child was born. I stayed until the May half term (38 weeks pregnant) to ensure continuity for exam classes. My DH had already moved 200 miles away 2 months before, which was a bit difficult, given we were selling up and moving. If I had not been pregnant, I could have moved at Easter, shortly after he started, or continued paying mortgage and rent for a further term to leave in July.

Its not always that easy to time a pregnancy either

No you can't but it would have been good if the school could have arranged something more permanent instead of bringing in a few different teachers, i am assuming they would know they would need maternity leave covered, i think this was all made worse due to the head changing. I don't think it has done any damage but DD would have rather had the same teacher especially as she has some processing difficulties and the teachers need to make sure she understands what is going on, sit at front of class, away from windows with an assistant helping if she needs it, luckily the assistant stayed the same so it wasn't too bad.

I would be miffed if this happened in year 6 though

There are a number is schools here: five including one secondary school. They are all in a quiet rural area with no behaviour problems other than the usual. Four head teachers have left mid year, along with too many to count of the class teachers.

Most of these have been to suit them logistically or to gain promotion. All are still in teaching in the region, all of these changes have been announced mid year and the change taken place within weeks, with a variety of supply teachers and two or three teacher classes being put in place with no continuity at all.

I do not object to teachers furthering their careers or suiting their lives. What I do object to is them doing so having taken on a commitment to a post and then leaving when it suits them,at the drop of a hat, not what suits, for example, a class of five year olds.

I know though that there is no point complaining as no one cares what I think. So I mutter on here. Dunno why, that's pointless too.

I would really just like one of my dcs to start and end just one school year with the same class teacher and head teacher they had at the start!

Teachers can't leave at the drop of a hat. They can leave at three points in the year, having given half a term notice.

The frequency with which teachers move locally in your area does seem unusual.

Are you a member of staff at the school/s you mention or a governor ReallyBadParty ? You know a lot more than parents usually do about the staffing issues at all these schools. By that I mean the personal reasons behind staff changes, not just who is in the classroom.

I find it really hard to belief that staff can leave within weeks - are you sure you've been given the correct information? It takes exceptional circumstances to break a contact's set resignation and leaving dates, so I wonder what is going on.

the change taking place in weeks

Parents in this area would be informed as late as possible to reduce the time that they have to complain but as said by PP said there are fixed points for resignations within the academic year. The school may have been aware for sometime but not have informed the parents. No teacher I know would take the decisions to leave mid-year lightly.

Dd's teacher went on maternity leave before the end of the first term

This is what happens when nearly ALL the older teachers end up leaving and the school replaces them with mainly younger teachers.
When this happens, it stands to reason that a LOT of maternity leave is going to be taken.

Suddenly those Old School Consistent in their ways teachers who used to be at the school don't seem quite as bad.

A school should be balanced, with a mixture of young and older.

Good point sparkly - some of the schools I have visited on supply have no classroom teachers over 30. This is wrong for so many reasons - I know as a young teacher I benefitted from the wisdom and knowledge of older teachers for things like behaviour management,SEN, dealing with parents. A good school should have a balance.

My dd has had 27 teachers in 3 yrs. Pregnancy in each of her ft teachers and then lots of sub teachers on rolling week contracts.
It is very challenging

Yes I agree it is terrible but the head says it is all they can do as they apparently can't offer a fixed term temp contract to cover pregnancy only a rolling week by week and the subs take other more secure roles as and when

they apparently can't offer a fixed term temp contract to cover pregnancy

Where is your school?! Are you in England?

I often see fixed term maternity teaching jobs advertised where I am (in England).

Our school (in England) covers maternity leave with fixed term contracts, advertised on the county website. The parents and pupils then know who will be teaching the class and they are treated as a full member of staff (staff meetings, PPA, reports etc).

I teach in a naice leafy oversubscribed secondary.

Recently, we narrowly missed an 'Outstanding' from Ofsted.

Why? Key Stage 3. Being taught almost exclusively, at least in core subjects, by part-timers, non-specialists, supply, cover supervisors & the 'weakest' teachers, usually in 'split classes', with inevitable consequences.

Why? Because there are only enough experienced, full-time, subject specialists with a decent track record to put us in front of GCSE groups. I've taken on two additional GCSE classes this year.

Why? Because teachers keep leaving (two breakdowns, one suicide, one taking a step down to move to a different school & one 'bugger this I'm off to Thailand' across core departments this year...) - & we're lucky to get one decent candidate to replace them after re-advertising at least twice.

Why? Because teacher recruitment crisis. You know, the one we aren't officially experiencing.

I feel your pain OP - I've got 3 primary aged dc in the same boat as yours!

What am I doing about it? Well, tomorrow I'm interviewing for a job at an international boarding school in Foreign Parts, which, if they'll have me, will be an effective 50% pay rise, free accommodation, & a fantastic subsidised education for my kids.

& that'll be one more experienced UK teacher gone next September.

Tis crap. Sorry I don't have a solution for you. .

Hey Raven, don't group part timers with unqualifieds, non-specialists, supplies, weak teachers and cover supervisors!
My GCSE group isn't split because I'm in school 5 days a week too, despite being 0.6.