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

Worried my new boss is a bully - observation tomorrow

56 replies

CatKisser · 15/06/2014 13:25

Name changed but aware I might still be recognisable.
I have been at my current wonderful school for two years. Our results were great last year and should be this year. It's a really lovely school. Recently our Head left in controversial circumstances and a new Head was brought in after much arguing between County and our governors.

I am really concerned about the way this man is with the children. He seems to go out of his way to humiliate them or knock them down, especially the boys. On Friday he came to speak to me about an incident that had happened that morning (I'll mention that later) and on the way out stopped by one of my children. This lad is not confident and is in receipt of counselling due to family DV issues. He asked the boy "what are you learning?" The boy paraphrased the learning objective so the head put his hand over the LO and said "now tell me what you're learning and why." I could see the boy was getting flustered so chipped in to which he sharply said "I want him to tell me." I felt this was totally inappropriate. There have been similar issues but I'm aware this is already approaching essay length.

The issue that's also worrying me occurred on Friday morning. He came into my room with my books and essentially told me what I'd been doing all year wasn't acceptable and I was to scrap my plans for the foreseeable future and do what he wants. He did this aggressively and left for a meeting out of school immediately, leaving me in an utter state. The secretary later informed me he'd rung school afterwards and said "how's Cat? Did she cry after I'd left?"

I'm worried. Really, really worried. I'm being observed tomorrow and feel sick with nerves. I've been graded Good and Outstanding ever since I joined the school, and I know tomorrow's lesson is a good one... What can I do if he gives me a terrible grade? I am logging the incidents that are worrying me.

OP posts:
HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 16/06/2014 13:22

Cat

You can come and work at my school. You sound lovely.

CatKisser · 16/06/2014 16:47

Thanks Hearts, how nice! can I have firm offer in writing, please!?
I've just got home. He came back into the room this afternoon to go through the books and see what they'd produced in the following lesson. Which he's obviously perfectly entitled to but he does unnerve me.

I do appreciate the support and advice, everyone. I know the relief I'm feeling is certainly just temporary and I've been having a good look at the jobs pages for Christmas starts. Ideally looking for somewhere with a TLR for Lit, but anything is an option...

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annebullin · 16/06/2014 16:52

Ah he's looking for evidence of sloppy work because your lesson was so good! What a tosser. His behaviour is bordering on harassment though. Even ofsted wouldn't do that!

CatKisser · 16/06/2014 16:59

I know!! Well, he did seem pleased with what he saw but I found out today he didn't send off my teacher assessments to county (deadline was Friday) because he's been questioning my writing levels. It's been very stressful and what's really insulting is after he'd looked at their work from today he said "aaaah yes, well, I see why you put x down as a four now," etc.)so now he agrees with my data (which I'd never falsify anyway!) and it's late to county, which is surely a big red flag. They rung this morning to ask where it was.....

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Fluffycloudland77 · 16/06/2014 17:09

Start that diary! Keep it at home & note things on a little pad after they've happened.

It's really important just in case he does try something.

CatKisser · 16/06/2014 18:13

Thanks, I'm going to do that tonight. I didn't in last school and actually had a horrific string of incidents I should have reported!
Just to further improve my day, my ginger cat who's been missing (again) for four days has popped back in! (Good of him, the little sod)

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NCFTTB · 16/06/2014 21:16

I recommend Bully in Sight too - a great and informative read! Agree, don't wait to see if it gets better - it won't! Just leave! Good plan to start a top secret log of all events and to keep your union in the loop. Be kind to yourself.

CatKisser · 17/06/2014 07:06

Thanks, NCFTTB.
Have arrived at school this morning to find he's taken my English books again - which is incredibly frustrating as I came in early deliberately to mark them, knowing I couldn't last night.
Very annoying as now they'll have to work in them today with the last piece unmarked.

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noblegiraffe · 17/06/2014 08:40

Write him an email telling him this and requesting that should he require your books in future that he check with you first.

Tosser!

Fluffycloudland77 · 17/06/2014 08:42

Document that, that's part of bullying. Dh's boss used to remove items he needed for work & deny having them.

Email everything if you can to him & save it to a memory stick so he can't delete it.

unrealhousewife · 17/06/2014 09:55

This is shocking. How on earth do these people get the job, a well paid position of trust in a public service???

annebullin · 17/06/2014 10:06

He's like a cat pissing on his territory isn't he? Helping himself to your classes workbooks like that is so intrusive.

rollonthesummer · 17/06/2014 22:22

Have you had formal feedback on the lesson observation now?

He sounds like a real charmer! Is he doing this to everyone or just the old and experienced expensive teachers?

PenguinBear · 18/06/2014 07:13

How was your observation feedback op?

CatKisser · 18/06/2014 07:27

Morning all! Nope - no official written or verbal feedback yet. He told me "off the record" that it was a Good lesson but I'm off on a trip this morning - residential until Friday night. So he's not going to get any feedback to me before Monday at the earliest!! If there are any comments I don't agree with on the written feedback I'm going to amend them and send them back to be kept on file.

I'm going to be super vigilant about that because a colleague of mine had their feedback yesterday and got graded a 4 - he said absolutely nothing positive, apparently.

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Phineyj · 21/06/2014 09:38

I recommend communicating with this guy by email where possible and using the 'read receipt' function (for paper trail so you can show you are responding professionally to any comments). I think your suspicions are fully justified.

rollonthesummer · 21/06/2014 09:49

He can still email it to you.

He sounds awful-I'd be looking for another job.

CatKisser · 22/06/2014 18:15

Those who have advised to look for another job - I think you're rot.
For the first time in this job, the thought of going in tomorrow makes me feel sick. I'm panicking about stuff, worrying about him doing his usual "popping in to see what's going on," taking my books for a glance through, etc. I just don't want to se there.
It's transition day and I have some great activities planned for my new class and they deserve me at 100%
Also, tomorrow will be a week (5 working days) since my observation. Unofficially he's given me my grading but I've had no proper verbal or written feedback. How do I approach this if I don't get it tomorrow?

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Fluffycloudland77 · 22/06/2014 19:52

I don't know but I really feel for you, what's the job situation like near you?.

Are you documenting all of this?.

I'd see the gp and tell him about all of these feelings of dread, that's caused by all the stress he's putting you under.

CatKisser · 22/06/2014 19:57

There are plenty of jobs around but none for September start and besides, I've missed the resignation deadline. My current plan is to use the autumn term as a taking stock time, to really assess if I can work under this man. Technically, we only have him until December, but I'm certain he will be asked to continue.

I can't go to GP yet - I've faced worse than this and got put on AD, which absolutely aren't for me. I learned that the best cure (for me) is just getting out of the situation and that's what I'll do if needs be.

It's just not fair. I know that all 5 other teachers and 3 TAs will be dreading tomorrow too. :-(

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Fluffycloudland77 · 22/06/2014 20:03

Could you ask them to log it though? Ad are not for everyone besides you aren't depressed.

He's bullying the staff & I bet the others are dreading tomorrow as well.

I'd start talking to the union, sept to dec is a hell of a long time to be under duress.

One of my old bosses did it to me but I was temping so I had an end in sight. She was a nitpicking bitch too.

They don't realise how obvious it is either.

CatKisser · 22/06/2014 20:16

Oh everyone is logging everything! Just spoke to my friend/colleague who was graded inadequate. It's been over a week and no written feedback. Apparently not one member of staff has received written or verbal feedback, except to know that they're going to be observed again before the end of term.
I'm not sure what I'd say to my union. Is it ok to call them just to inform them of a situation, or potential situation, as opposed to asking them to do something?

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Fluffycloudland77 · 23/06/2014 09:45

I'd discuss it with them.

It's a situation they must have come across before.

Either he's bullying all of you or he's incompetent but interviews well & the bosses are fooled by it.

CatKisser · 23/06/2014 12:03

Can't go into details, obviously, but he did not interview for this post!! Angry

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HopeClearwater · 23/06/2014 14:45

I was in this situation and I left before I was pushed into a breakdown. Several people were forced out through intimidation. The (male) Head replaced all of us with male NQTs - malleable and won't go on maternity leave, which the Head had already complained about bitterly in the staffroom.