job share teachers: does it work? worried

[Camembertha]

my DD in Y7 has 2 teachers for English, it seems to mean there is almost never any homework, and as far as I can see her English has actually gone downhill; no spellings to learn, no writing activities, no reading tasks. Ever. She has worked really hard to get to this level and it seems to be all going to pot now.

For maths she has 2 teachers as well since this term, and sometimes a supplies teacher!

I am new to the English State system, and am wondering:

• is this normal in comprehensives in the UK?
• does it work well? (in our (limited) experience it does not seem ideal)
• can one complain to the school about this?

Both core subjects seem to be falling by the wayside now! DD is happy enough as she doesn't like homework and likes an easy life.

Any suggestions? I worry we may need to find a better school, but if it is like this across all schools that would be pointless!

This isn't a job share but split classes and is fairly common in secondary in year 7, as they prioritise the older years when time tabling. It can work well. If the two teachers communicate and teach to their strengths or sometimes it doesn't. As you are concerned with two subjects, I would contact the school, and speak to either the member of SLT in charge of curriculum, or speak to the head of English and the head of Maths. Explain about no homeworks and lack of progress, (spelling homeworks aren't usually set for top sets though, have only ever seen them set for lower sets.)
This isn't typical of all schools, but split classes are common, but need to be managed better than this.

Having more than one teacher for a subject isn't unusual, but that's not related to the not getting homework.
I would fist ask the individual teacher about homework, and if you don't get a satisfactory response then speak to the Head of Department.
It's not really usual to get spellings to learn in Yr7 though.
If you feel she is 'coasting' in class and not being challenged, then again, first port of call are the people that teach her, and then the HoD is where you go next if you don't feel you've had a satisfactory answer.
I'd make sure you talk about the issue of no progress and no homework though, rather than the fact she has two teachers.

Thanks, this is really useful!