supply teachers

[peppajay]

Have had a bad experience with a supply teacher today who has really upset my ASD son. Other children noticed how he was picked on by her and I have had mums messaging me saying their kids have said how mean he was. He came out of school distraught and she told me she doesnt tolerate badly behaved children in any classes she teaches- when I asked what the bad behaviour was she said he was patronising her by telling her how to do her job. He hates supply teachers at the best of times and he said she didn't know what to do as she kept getting things wrong so he was only helping her by telling her when she was wrong. The way she spoke to me about his behaviour was shocking and when I reminded her that he has aspergers she huffed ands said 'wasnt around in her day - is just an excuse!!" I have spoken to the deputy head who was very apologetic and was really understanding. But my question is re: supply teachers do schools just get any random teacher who is free that day??? So basically my son and his class have just been left all day with by the sounds of it a teacher who didn't have a clue. Surely they should be vetted or interviewed to check they are suitable . He has never hated school before but now he is distraught as he is convinced in his head he wasnt doing anything wrong!!

The problem with supply teachers is that you need them at very short notice so, although schools will often have people they use regularly, sometimes they will just need to call an agency and have whoever they can. The agency will have had references and cvs though; they're not just off the street.

Supply teachers don't know the students and are not necessarily given information on students with additional needs. Very tricky for all children to have supply teachers (sometimes several in a day in secondary) but even harder for ASD students to cope with the transition and change to routine.

The main thing is for the school to pass information over to the supply teacher. A good school will provide an overview of the pupils and which ones have additional needs.

when I reminded her that he has aspergers she huffed ands said 'wasnt around in her day - is just an excuse!!"

I'd ask her employer to have a chat with her about disability awareness and discrimination.

In our area they are desperate for supply teachers so I imagine they would have to be pretty bad not to be invited back . My dd (NT) had a terrible one for over a month; it has taken most of this year to get her confidence back. I know the parents of a couple of kids with SEN were pretty much camped in the school while she was there. She left after she "was hounded out by parents" at parents evening. At our parent evening slot we ran over double the time and she still didn't tell us anything about our dd, think it was the same for every parent and there was a queue of us at the school office the next day.