Supply teachers since before Christmas.

[Scabetty]

Dd is in yr 9 and has had various supply teachers since 2 weeks before Christmas hols for maths. I have now sent an email (yesterday lunch time) voicing concern as the supply teachers just hand out worksheets and do not teach. Every other class has started a new topic according to dd. Her actual teacher went abroad to get married and is now off sick apparently. How long is reasonable to expect a reply to my email before I lose the plot.

I think DD's school would get back to me within 24 hours. At least on academic matters. Form on extra curricular stuff is not so good!

The situation you describe would really annoy me too.

There is a national teacher shortage. There has been problems with recruiting maths, science and MFL teachers for several years, but now there are problems across the board.

There are over 6000 jobs advertised is the TES this week.
Teacher training places have been cut but still are nowhere near capacity.
Schools are doing the best they can with what they've got.

Had this issue at parents evening last night, parents going mad because of a class having supply teachers for a term. There is very little a school can do other than use supply. There is a huge teacher shortage country wide, particularly in maths. There is no spare space in the timetable for the class to be absorbed by other teachers and schools can magic up teachers!

You can go in all guns blazing, but it won't change the outcome I'm afraid. If you want someone to blame look at the government for driving good teachers out of teaching.

Thanks to those who have replied. I called at end of school and was put through to Head of Maths. It appears the situation is as some of you have described, basically a lack of good maths supply teachers. This teacher will be off for another month it appears. There will be some time tabling changes and a continued search for a suitable replacement. Felt sorry for the Head of Maths really as there is no quick fix.