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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

INSET time for report writing

32 replies

PatsysDouble · 23/02/2014 20:32

Hi
I'm looking into ways of lightening the load a little - easier said than done!
I was wondering if schools still allocate INSET time for report writing? Not something that is done in my school (secondary) but I know used to be done in friends primary schools.
Thanks!

OP posts:
HalfSpamHalfBrisket · 23/02/2014 20:33

Yes, one of our INSETs (primary) is for report writing - I find it very useful.

Kezzybear · 23/02/2014 20:33

We are given a report writing day, either just befor or after may half term.

Kezzybear · 23/02/2014 20:33

Primary

stillenacht · 23/02/2014 22:04

Wow never heard of this in secondary!

petalpower · 23/02/2014 22:20

No chance (primary). All our INSET time is taken up with much less useful things.

stillenacht · 23/02/2014 22:23

Yeah same here petalpower. Every one is about teaching your grandmother to suck eggs. Same old thing over and over.... Always boiling down to "this is Ofsted's focus"(for the next 5 minutes(.

YoullNeedATray · 23/02/2014 22:40

That's what the Easter holiday is for ... apparently... :-(

GW297 · 23/02/2014 22:41

1 of the 4 schools I have worked at had a report writing at home inset day.

rollonthesummer · 23/02/2014 22:41

No chance (primary). All our INSET time is taken up with much less useful things.

Snap

PatsysDouble · 23/02/2014 23:07

Thanks! Never heard of it in secondary either, and imagine it would get dismissed right away but you never know.

2 class sets done this week.

Anyone else?

(Or other ingenious ideas for lightening the load that happen in your school? Am struggling to come with ideas to improve the work-life balance)

OP posts:
rollonthesummer · 23/02/2014 23:24

Being part time is the only way that I get any work-life balance.

I really hate what this job has become and it really annoys me that when I started teaching, things were so different, yet I had time to make resources, plan fab lessons. Now-all my time is spent doing utterly pointless things that benefit nobody except my SMT.

:(

MerrilyWatkins · 24/02/2014 09:17

I have my report writing day today (Primary). Should get on with it really.

fourcorneredcircle · 24/02/2014 14:44

How would it work in secondary though? As the reports come out at different times of year?

MrsYoungSalvoMontalbano · 24/02/2014 15:21

It makes sense that all work required should be able to be completed in normal working hours. Which is why it still surprises me that teachers spend time bleating about it on MN and moaning in the staff-room instead of standing up like real professionals and saying - 'these are our our working hours - this is what we can do in them'
Think about the hours you are contracted for, work out what can be done in them and do only that. If everyone did - job done. But people prefer to be martyrs and moan.

noblegiraffe · 24/02/2014 17:39

Teachers contracts specify that they need to work any extra hours required to discharge their professional duties, so that's not actually something teachers can do, mrsyoung

MrsYoungSalvoMontalbano · 24/02/2014 18:20

in which case, no point in sitting in the staffroom moaning about it...

noblegiraffe · 24/02/2014 18:53

Isn't that what staffrooms are for?

LindyHemming · 24/02/2014 19:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

chocolateshoes · 24/02/2014 19:14

At ds primary they get a day to write reports. No such luck at my secondary.

DoctorDonnaNoble · 24/02/2014 19:18

Yup, never had that at secondary. Whilst a lot of INSET we've had has been rubbish I don't think the point of the 'days' was to write reports. It's meant to be in service training.
I hate report writing. If I've had an issue or been impressed with a student their parents/guardians know already. I hate reports! Grrrrrrrr.

PatsysDouble · 24/02/2014 20:49

Thanks again everyone.
I know INSET is meant for training, just looking for ways to make like easier and it's something I had heard off happening elsewhere.

Although reports come in waves through the year, one day's worth of time could be allocated to reports - we already do twilights in lieu of a couple of days at the end of the summer term, so one of those could be nominally for report writing.

Rollonthesummer - sadly I am already part-time. They keep asking me when I would like to go to full time, to which the answer is never. I already work every evening!

Mrs Young - if only it were that simple!! If we stood up and said enough is enough after working a set number of hours, capability procedures would soon be put in place and we'd be out!

Having just had a week of 'holiday' I personally could have said that that is holiday, and as such I won't be working. However when would 2 classes of reports be written, controlled assessment be marked and lessons planned for next term? Not sure if you are a teacher or not, but you must be able to see the problem.

There is no money in schools so staff have been made redundant. As a result our free periods have been drained to the absolute minimum, so while we used to have a reasonably generous allowance, we now have the statuatory 10% - i.e. 6 mins per lesson taught - 6 mins to plan , prepare and assess during the school day.

And yes, I know we are here moaning on MN - but only for 5 mins before the books come out and 3 hours of work commences. Teachers are at the end of their tethers and any support is invaluable.

However, being part of a working party into work-life-balance is a step in the right direction. Although I'm seriously lacking in ideas as most have been dismissed by SLT.

Something radical needs to happen really. But you can't stand up against targets and paperwork alone. Needs to come from the top down.

OP posts:
PatsysDouble · 24/02/2014 20:52

Apologies for terrible SPAG. Must proof read before hitting post!

OP posts:
LindyHemming · 24/02/2014 21:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

stillenacht · 24/02/2014 21:25

Hear hear Patsysdouble

Capability is the stick to beat us to the ground. The job is impossible- I know some teachers who regularly do 18-20 hour days and still don't get it finished.

MrsYoungSalvoMontalbano · 25/02/2014 08:35

The points get muddled tho - what do you actually want? Less work, or more money - ie additional pay to over the work done in 'holidays'?
Work out what it is you actually want, and campaign for it, or find a job with the some money, same holidays and less work Hmm

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