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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Staff Room!!!

465 replies

ScienceTeacher · 27/01/2008 14:42

It was suggested on another thread that we should have a staff room, so I thought I'd bite the bullet and start one.

Shall we introduce ourselves?

I teach Science (Physics A-level and GCSE Chemistry plus the usual general science in KS3, and also KS3 Geography). I work in a small girls' independent school. I started this job in September having spent two years in contract and supply. This was a getting back to teaching after an 8-year maternity leave.

I am a mum to five children from 16 (gcse!) TO 5.

OP posts:
Donk · 01/02/2008 19:13

Top of MPS until you pass threshold I believe...

flyingmum · 01/02/2008 19:15

Hello (sits down hoping not on anyone's favourite chair). I teach 11 - 16 English in a 1500 mixed comp. 102C doing my nut at mo but year 11 are lovely. Emits hollow laugh at marking. Also doing work with SEN department on testing.

Cod - you should be looking at M6, ie, the one before you move onto threshold. Go to TES website and they give you the gradings.

I have to teach Citizenship which used to be called PHSE but as Head is a big cheese in examining Citizenship that's what it is called now. I HATE doing it. One kid accurately described it as 'watch that video, read that page, fill in the worksheet, make a poster' Couldn't have put it better.

etchasketch · 01/02/2008 19:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fizzbuzz · 01/02/2008 20:32

A school near us won an award for PHSE. I don't think they ever did any posters BUT, when the Afgan war was on (i think it was then)they got a memebr of the armed forces to speak to the kids one week, and a Quaker to speak the next week. This was to Y10...

I used to give them posters to keep them quiet I loathed it so much AND we never had any training on drugs, but we still had to deliver it to Y10 at the time. Actually, I don't loathe it at all, I think it is really valuable and important, but needs to be done properly. Not by some teacher who loathes teaching it, and has grabbed a handful of worksheets out of a cabinet that morning. (along with the rest of the cursing staff)

iamdingdong · 01/02/2008 21:11

fizzbuzz with you on the snow - mid listening comp with Y9, 'eee miss man its snowing!' so, that was the end of my tolerance

Cod I think as others have said you will be top of mainscale still, will have to go through threshold to get ups1

fizzbuzz · 01/02/2008 21:24

Marmaduke, I find wind of the other variety just as bad......creats just as much chaos.

They don't teach that on a PGCE do they? How to deal with farting kids.

Colleague in English dept got so sick of one kid doing this, that she actually sent a letter home asking if the parents could perhaps take their son to the doctors to sort out his "severe flatulance problem"

chocolateshoes · 02/02/2008 14:25

last summer we had wasps falling through the lights from the false roof in the room I was in, but as there were never any free room we had to stay there. So scary!

MamaPyjama · 06/02/2008 12:40

[snigger] at fizzbuzz.

Listening (reading?) you lot I almost miss it...

Has anyone done a Return to Teaching course? The local polyversity offers one - is it worthwhile? I will have been out eight years by the time I go back!

Blandmum · 06/02/2008 14:32

I had a year 10 boy crack the most massive fart in the lesson today. Trouble was they were all silent waiting me to start an IAA.

Queue a 60 minute halt while they all calmed down.

I have to mark it soon, I wonder how they all did.......

slug · 06/02/2008 14:43

Can I lurk here? I've recently (just last month) escaped from years teaching maths and IT in an FE college.

trulymadlydeeply · 06/02/2008 17:46

Feel a bit depressed by how lacking in curiosity, disinterested and disengaged so many of the Y11 I've seen whilst supply teaching are. Feel as though the system is failing so many of them ...

Donk · 06/02/2008 19:16

I'm applying for a return to teaching course in Leeds MamaPyjama...

MamaPyjama · 06/02/2008 19:21

I'm in Cambridge. Jobs are like hen's teeth round here.

Donk · 06/02/2008 20:41

There seem to be jobs around here - but part-time science posts are like hens teeth...
It will depend on your phase/subject how many posts there are I suppose - science/physics is in relatively good demand. This seems to mean that all posts will be made up to full-time in order to get more/better applicants.

Donk · 06/02/2008 20:42

just my luck really. Maybe I'm stuck with supply for a while....

Nymphadora · 06/02/2008 20:45

Well after 4 months on/off sick I am going back to work after half term. Sick note is up tomorrow and I have no reason to renew can't wait for RL conversation!!!!!!!!!

BUT think I am going back f/t am desparate for o/t after being off sick and have been offered the extra days in another class so have taken them. I have offered to let my jobshare have my 1:1 full time and I'll go to the other class full time (instead of us swapping halfway through the week)but it hasn't been suggested to her yet. I am torn as I prefer to move BUT have been with him 6 1/2 years and he leaves this time.

MamaPyjama · 06/02/2008 21:00

I'm MFl and it's now optional post 14. Sigh.

figleaf · 07/02/2008 08:41

I cried all yesterday afternoon. The General teaching council for Scotland will register me to teach Technology but only as a probationer. I've been H.O.F at a Tech Coll, set up a C.T.C and H.O.D by the end of my first year in teaching.(I would say the first time I was a probationer but I passed probation after a term then). They are currently saying 270 days probation but will review the situation after they see my references. Sigh!

MamaPyjama · 07/02/2008 09:18

That's grim figleaf. I didn't realise this when I trained and can now never go home to Edinburgh to teach.
Maybe private sector for you? Edinburgh is heaving with private schools, but I dont think the rest of Scotland is like that.

figleaf · 07/02/2008 09:35

I think it is because I went to an English university and qualified in England and all my teaching has been in England, If you are from Edinburgh you probably trained/qualified here did you? if so you'll be Ok.

The really depressing thing is DH company is being taken over. His job has always been rock soild and well paid. You never know with a new company do you. If we hadn't moved here I could have worked but now I can't provide the safety net. As a probationer I would get paid much less than my teaching years deserve so I couldn't keep the family.

I thought about private schools too but the adverts say you need to be registered to apply. As I only have provisional registration (going to full if I pass probation) I guess I'd be a probationer there too. I think it would count to do the 270 days in a private school though. The blurb just says it must be done in a mainstream school.

roisin · 07/02/2008 18:53

Blleeeuurrggghhhhh.....!
Yr9s on a Thursday afternoon - give me ^strength'.

I can't wait for 3.20 tomorrow: holidays here I come!
I have well and truly earned my week away at Center Parks

MamaPyjama · 07/02/2008 20:03

I went to school in Edinburgh, but then went South for Uni PGCE. It seemed like a Good Idea at the time.

A private school might take your teaching years into consideration when deciding your pay, even though you are a 'probationer' - I guess they'd have that flexibility.

Nymphadora · 08/02/2008 09:33

Quiet this week, I have spoken to the deputy head this am and from after half term I am leaving my 1:1 and going to KS2 (can I still come here then???) except for Weds pm when I will go back to 6th form to sign. After 6 1/2 years with him[gulp]

Slouchy · 08/02/2008 14:33

Well I got a job today!

TA in dd1s primary school (with Y5/6) so not exactly challenging , but will bring a few££ in and get me back into a school environment.

And the Big Job (Head of Yr/English; fulltime from Sept) that I applied for want to interview me in 2 weeks. Yikes!

Moomin · 08/02/2008 16:15

Hurrah! Well done on both counts. The TA stuff will be interesting anyway and give you an good insight into Y6. The big interview will be good experience as well, and you never know... could be just what you're looking for. Sounds like a nice school at any rate. OOoooo, exciting!

Well Im being observed by one of the LEA Bigwigs after half term in relation to going for an AST position, so have got to pull a super-duper Tommy Cooper lesson out of the bag for that. Have started my application as well and it's a lever-arch file's worth,... which is nice!

Have a nice half term and try not to get too nervous! Let me know of you need to know anything about Englishy-type things/changes from the past 2 years.