Teacher absence

[m0therofdragons]

I'm wondering how other schools approach this.

Over the past 2 school years a teacher at my dc primary has had periods of being signed off (both times most of the summer term). The school is great at letting dc know who will teach them the following September and does settling in sessions for all years one day a week for 4 weeks before the summer holidays. Dd is in this particular class this school year and as the teacher was off in June / July she had no settling in sessions and has begun the year with a supply teacher.

I completely understand the school is unable to discuss a teachers sickness and it's not appropriate to ask for details but I also have a very upset and unsettled 7 year old and have had zero communication from the school. In cases of long term sick, is it really the case that the school aren't allowed to say anything at all even if to confirm supply teacher will be continuous and work is being set by the other year 3 teacher? (I've no idea who is setting the work).

It feels like we're all supposed to carry on as if the situation is normal but in a small school it's like the elephant in the room.

@ButterflyOne1 hilarious that I'm not parenting properly based on me asking what others advise. If dd had one teacher then maybe she would be happy but going to school each day not knowing who is going to teach her as we're already on teacher number 3 I think is upsetting her. Dd is usually very confident but at the moment (as I've already said) she's got lots of changes at home with siblings and that combined with lack of stability at school has had an impact. She's not a robot but an emotional 7 year old. I was asking for advice on how to support her and what I could expect from school.

Hang on, so after all of this there's things going on and changes in her home life that might unsettle her and you're getting annoyed that school are using supply to ensure a class is staffed appropriately?

What you can expect from the school is for them to appropriately staff the class and ensure appropriate work is set (which is sounds like they are doing).

If you want them to keep an eye at school because she's finding things tough then the key stage lead is worth contacting, but it's quite a drip feed there

@m0therofdragons Clearly the lack of stability that you're not providing to your child is having the impact. You're expecting the school to provide the stability that you're not providing hence you failing as a parent.

Try explaining to her that change happens and it's ok. It keeps things fresh and exciting. If you're one of these doom and gloom parents then there's no wonder she's feeling vulnerable.

Erm no, it's just the combination. It's not like I've kicked her dad out or she's an abused child with an alcoholic mother.

Her older sister moved from primary to secondary so she won't see her at lunch time anymore and that was upsetting her as they're really close but the age gap is suddenly more apparent. She was already a bit wobbly about that.

If you went to work with a new boss each day wouldn't you feel unsettled.

Anyway, I've learned I'm a terrible mother with a daughter with issues. Excellent.

Thank you to those who've understood even if your view was different to mine, it's really useful to see it from different sides. The personal attacks aren't very helpful and it seems people are reading more into my words than was intended. I was vague due to trying to hide my identity.

@ButterflyOne1 Clearly the lack of stability that you're not providing to your child is having the impact. You're expecting the school to provide the stability that you're not providing hence you failing as a parent.

In life, things don't always stay the same. Her life is changing due to her sibling reaching new stages. I cannot change that. Yes I do expect school to provide stable and consistent education (as would ofsted). You are coming across as a very unkind person whose words could seriously hurt someone asking for help. I'm not failing as a parent I just have a dc who is upset.

Surely you can see there is a difference between these two posts:

1. My DC is finding transition to the new year difficult. There's some changes at home and they've had a string of supply teachers. Sometimes it's a different one each day. How's best to talk to school to help her settle?

1. This teacher has been off loads over time, my child didn't get them their transition days and now they've started the year with a supply teacher, school should be telling us what's going on, who is planning the work... I'm not sure it's reasonable to expect supply to teach off central planning, maybe they are just amazing, I only know about this teacher because I was talking the another mum, and actually it's a different supply teacher each day. School should really be giving us more information.

Number 1 is totally reasonable because it's about a holistic approach to a child who seems to be unsettled in multiple areas (understandably!)
Number 2 the focus is on wanting access to staffing and planning information that has nothing to do with parents.

Clearly the lack of stability that you're not providing to your child is having the impact. You're expecting the school to provide the stability that you're not providing hence you failing as a parent.

Only on MN

It is perfectly normal that your dd will find this unsettling, and totally understandable that you're concerned. Piecemeal supply for extended periods is really not good.

What I always wonder in these cases though, is what people expect the school to do about it. There will be some info that the school can't give you (medical reasons etc) some info the school itself doesn't know (how long the absence will last), and some info that won't actually really help your dd (the name of the supply teacher she will be having briefly).

Schools want continuity and stability - it makes them successful. If they haven't got a proper replacement teacher, it will be for reasons beyond their control (none available, too expensive etc).

I'd be worried too btw, and posters blaming your parenting are being ridiculous.

Wow some horrible replies here attacking the OP absolutely unnecessary. She is clearly worried for her daughter. Every child deserves a good education and I'm sorry but having a different teacher every day does not instill confidence that that's happening. I would expect the school to provide some reassurance that this situation is being managed and managed well for the benefit of the children, not just to have a body in front of the children. Most parents in this situation would have concerns and it will not be because they failed as parents.

I have an education background so to me the fact school has consistent lesson planning despite not having consistent teachers matters to me. Being told that one teacher is taking overall responsibility for the class is more reassuring than the planning being ad hoc. DD's work seems very different to the other class, although I'm not grilling dd so that may not be true. I'd rather rely on proper info than that from a 7 year old.

lazylinguist
I hope that doesn't refer to me. I've not attacked OP's parenting. I do think a drip feed about lack of stability and change in other areas was specifically (if not more) relevant to the situation than complaining nobody's saying who is doing lesson planning.

As I said, there's a big difference between the two types of post I gave examples of. Other posters on here have shared brilliant ways they've spoken to school in similar situations, and crucially it's about their child and their child's situation, not he said she said in the playground and seeking information the school can't give.

Being told that one teacher is taking overall responsibility for the class is more reassuring than the planning being ad hoc.
You say education background which is broad, but if you're in education then you'll already know that schools have accountability chains.
The idea anyone in education would think suddenly a whole class was untracked and unmonitored is completely nonsensical.

I understand and agree with you. My son had four different "regular teachers" and three short-term supplies over the school year. The subject was environmental science. Each new teacher had a new syllabus and new style of teaching and type of assignments. At the end of the year the last teacher did not even give a final exam. She said she didn't know what they had studied.
His grade on standardized test was 50 points below his average on the other subjects.
If I were you I would be asking for a transfer to another class.

I think people are being a bit unfair to the OP.
From the school side, they may not have a clue, especially if it is a stress related issue. They get to the end of each 2 weeks and wait to see if another sick note is issued.
BUT we have had it a couple times with staff off long term eg:

1. maternity related illness. Head took a decision that the person was unlikely to return in this pregnancy, so arranged long term continuous cover by doing some staff jiggling, so that there was good teaching cover in the class, but easily jiggled back if the person did return (they didn't)
2. a teacher off with cancer (he told everyone) Again, there was no indication of time frame, and so the head worked it so there was a class teacher covering for 3 days and supply for the other 2, with the class teacher accountable for progress etc.

Each time parents were told, teacher is off sick and we have arranged cover like this, this person is the one to see if you have concerns and they will be taking an overview of what is happening until the teacher returns.

It is not unreasonable when someone is off long term to let the children and parents knwo what is going on, and to put someone in charge of the accountability for the kids.
But in these days of cuts there is so little wriggle room

Each new teacher had a new syllabus and new style of teaching and type of assignments.
New style of teaching is totally normal.
New syllabus is unusual but suggests a middle management decision, backed by Senior leadership. Given syllabus is usually KS4, Class teachers can't unilaterally change specifications.
Different assessments could depend on the topic
At the end of the year the last teacher did not even give a final exam.
Fairly standard in many schools not to do final exams.
She said she didn't know what they had studied.
Seems like a fairly good reason not to set an exam. Junk exam, lots of marking, junk data.

Again whether students have end of year exams is not a class teacher decision.

In which case the issue isn't with having multiple supply teachers and everything to do with senior leadership making changes to specifications, although it would be bizarre for 4 spec changes in a year. Even in schools/departments in trouble you'd typically get no more than one spec change in a year.

@LolaSmiles you haven't attacked me so I don't think it's referring to you.

I've worked in schools (secondary) in a complicated role that's hard to explain but I'm also a governor and other than accountability for good numbers there's little accountability for emotional needs of the children and if the numbers go down and show an issue quite honestly the damage has already been done by the time it's represented in the results.

To be honest, there will be dc with unstable home lives and a stable school environment is important imo but not always possible.

I think moving dd to the other class would move her from friends and be more disruptive.

That sounds like a much lower expectation re accountability than I've ever seen.

I have to do half termly reports on cohort performance, behaviours, key groups, SEND, any pastoral issues for all years and cohorts under my remit. Then have to document all the steps in place to support or intervene.

With supply they get a team of leaders in and out to support behaviour, planning detail depends on day to day or long term but all is centrally monitored.

Then those who line manage me are ultimately accountable for all of my work in keeping tabs.

I've never known a school be any different (though have worked somewhere where that was on paper but not followed by everyone)

None of that would have kicked in 7 days into term though.

I think you're better off stepping back from who says what about the absent teacher and also step away from questions about planning and so on. If I were in your shoes I'd speak to the key stage leader, explain your DC situation and see what's in place to keep them doing what they need to and if any pastoral TLC can be put in place. It's a much more reasonable approach

Hi @LolaSmiles I'm not being very clear. They do have behaviour reports etc but if it's a different teacher each week then I can't see how that can be accurate with best will in the world. One teacher or even two getting to know a class is very different to this situation. I do stay away from gossip. I have no idea why she's off and wouldn't expect to know.

This is a common situation and it does feel like schools close off. Partly because legally its difficult, eg some peoples sick note literally last 7 days, you cant guarantee supply because they are agency so again, some are only confirmed week to week. You then end up weekly sending out a weekly email saying x is off and y is teacher but you cant say much more than that.
Hopefully the head and slt are on top of ensuring things run smoothly, just as they do with any class.

Behaviour issues will get collared centrally and someone up the chain from the class teacher (like me or other middle leaders) will monitor.

In terms of reports for accountability like I mentioned, they'll be done as overviews by key stage leaders or similar.

If the school has a clear behaviour policy then it's fair application shouldn't matter. Our school says it shouldn't matter who is in front of the class, the rules are the same.
Eg. If Charlie talks over the teacher then it's a warning and then sent out for a word
If the school's policy is there then it's simple.

You dont, obviously, get the same pastoral relationships with the turnover of staff. But I'd not be concerned until week 3 or so of this turnover.

If it is the unknown (teacher each day) that is unsettling the children, it may be worth asking if a TA could be assigned to that class on a regular/permanent basis until the teacher returns, so they have a bit of stability each day.

I doubt they can do anything about the length of the supply teachers though - if the teacher off sick only has a short sick note each time they can't book someone long-term.

Ways the school could make this better would be to:
Make sure the class has an experienced TA with them throughout
Give parents a contact in the absence of the teacher. This could be a senior leader or a phase leader.
Do their best to get a consistent supply in.

I sympathise. Teacher absence whilst unavoidable does have a big impact on the children. I was away myself for about a month and my class were so relieved to see me when I returned. They missed the consistency.

Not directing this at anyone but, as a supply with lots of supply friends, one of the reasons students don't have the same person long term is that the children mentally check out once they know they have supply and make that teachers life a misery as they don't view them as a 'proper teacher'. Consequently the supply teacher refuses to go back. Lots of supply are brilliant but simply aren't given a chance. Students often get this idea from parents and conversations they have overheard.

As a HT, we do our best. We have to manage policy around the person who is sick and provide a teacher.
Finding someone else, given the difficulties of retention and recruitment is so difficult. Finding through a supply agency, meeting possibles, agreeing for them to start, talking them through policies, supporting them to get to know the children and school. It takes so much time. The school will also want a long term supply if can find one. They will want the best for the children.

It really isn't easy.