Just out of interest,what would happen if I refuse observations?

[guggenheim]

I mean this in a lighthearted way,but what would actually happen if I just sat down and refused to teach if I felt that an unreasonable number of observations were taking place?

I don't know of anyone who has done this but I am throughly sick of the endless rounds of observations,mostly unannounced spanish inquesition styleee observations.

Well, would the world stop turning if I said no?

I'm only an NQT so no expert but a fellow NQT is at a school where they refused observations as there were so many. They taught but handed any observers a copy of the NUT guidelines (3 a year??), no data/paperwork and refused any feedback.

Good on your friend blueemerald. guggenheim I think get together with other staff members who are also sick of the ridiculous amount of obs and all refuse together using the NUT guidelines. Good luck.

Oooh! hadn't thought of that.

I'm escaping at Easter thankfully,it was more idle speculation.

It would just be awesome to plonk myself down next to SLT/Head/ visiting expert / bloke off the street they just dragged in for a laugh and say " You know you was telling me I'm doing it all wrong and all that. Well now it's your turn! You're welcome"

Having a copy of guidelines is brilliant.

NQTs are exempt from the no more than 3 rule, as are teachers who are undergoing capability.

Why not teach as you normally would rather than jumping through hoops, therefore it creates no extra work?

It's three a year for observations for performance management, but the head/ SLT has a right to pop in at any time and stay for a reasonable amount of time. It is their school and they have the right to know what is going on in it

New guidance means that the lesson obs must be part of a bigger picture.

They must triangulate your data, planning, book scrutiny and pupil perceptions in order to make a judgement.

Showcase lessons no longer cut it if your books and data do not back up good or outstanding learning.

Much fairer IMHO

I agree, it also lessens the pressure of having to perform.

Of course it also means that outstandings will be rarer as pupils have to make outstanding progress for that to happen so if you are in low sets or work with special needs pupils you are stuffed as they are expected to make the same progress as NT pupils.

I think that there are lots of heads who can do all of this and maintain the respect of their staff- because they have the leadership skills necessary for the role.

It was a hypothetical question,which I'm glad I asked because I can see that there are lots of different angles on how observations are conducted.

There are also places where the head is unable to perform a leadership role and relies heavily on bullying tactics.

Thank for the input though- some very interesting answers here.

In my school, we use national transition matrices when we look at progress. They show the progress made from different starting points, so are a more reasonable way of judging progress for different ability groups.

madonna is that for pupil's progress or for teacher's progress? I haven't heard of that before.

Also I realise that my title gave the impression that I was about to start a one woman political action station. I'm not it was just a wonder out loud, kind of thing,which I phrased badly.