If you could make one change to reduce your workload, what would it be?

[Redlocks28]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately-wondering whether to resign or not. Have been teaching for ages and just sick of the relentless pointlessness of most of the things I do. I worked hard 15+ years ago when I started, but virtually none of it was pointless-it all benefitted the children, yet now, 3/4 of the stuff I do is solely for Ofsted or SMT and actually takes time away from the children. I rather like planning nice lessons, making resources and doing displays!

I think getting rid of Ofsted would be number 1 on my list, but as that'll never happen, doing something about reducing the pointless excessive marking now required would probably be next.

It would have to phrased so clearly that there was no way that SMT could interpret it in a 'well, I don't think you're doing enough' kind of way!

Levelling and tracking would probably be high up on my list as well.

Ridiculous marking policies would be top of my list!

Marking policies for sure. It would be slightly less awful if they weren't forever changing but just when you've got your head around it they change the poxy thing.

Yep, daft, useless marking needs to be gone. Spending hours typing up, printing, guillotine-ing and sticking in success criteria. I don't mind tracking. I resent the amount of time it takes to assess writing but can't see how that could be made less time consuming.

Levelling (or whatever is going to replace it!) and tracking for me too.

Book looks and accompanying scrutinies every small term.

Making a law that exam specs couldn't be changed for a minimum of five years.

Complicated marking policies, definitely. I don think the kids take a blind bit of notice of anything I write in their books.
I mark their work, I write about how they could improve, they redraft and I check again. It is obvious from the redraft that I should have just put my feet up in the evening and watched telly instead of marking.
What a waste of time.

Yep-totally agree.

They do the work, I mark the work, they respond to my marking and I check that they've responded and taken note of my next steps....

I'm their teacher, not their bloody pen pal!

SLT helping themselves to my PPA for collapsed days and revision sessions; not having to provide learning support in 'gained' time; the after school revision sessions I've been guilt-tripped into; having to spend every break supervising detention; doing catch up work with students during PPA.

Being an administrator, having to do admin. work that has nothing to do with being a subject teacher or form tutor because the school won't pay for secretaries.

I would really like someone to do my photocopying. I will have 100 sixth formers by September. Making their mock papers takes me entire days!

Marking books within an inch of their lives.
Then having to go back and respond to the pupils response of your marking.

I mean really, is there any teacher who thinks that it has any huge benefits?
Especially with very young pupils?

I have seen a teacher write two paragraphs ( in two different colours ) on a four year old's emergent writing. When I asked her if the child could read it she said no she had had to read it to him! Is this seriously what OFSTED want to see? Bloody bonkers!

Some teachers have adapted (for older children, not 4 year olds, obviously) a system that involves using codes, which means the learner has to look up the code, absorb it and then respond to it - so they have to pay attention to it, and it's them doing the work. Has the advantage of being very quick. Good blog about it here: www.learningspy.co.uk/featured/what-does-feedback-look-like/

More ppa time.

Dialogue marking. Get rid. Utter bollox.

Thanks for all the replies-good to hear (though crap at the same time) that most of you feel the same way as me.

I wonder if now that Nicky Morgan doesn't have to be worried about appeasing us-as we're stuck with her for the next 5 years-what the hell else she can dream up to take up more of our time!?

Suggestions on a postcard...?

Without a doubt. Marking! I've had 160 scripts this weekend. bye bye social life

Marking policies. Each book every 2 weeks with responses, feedback etx.

I calculated that 150 books a fortnight, at 10 mins per book is 1500 minutes. In hours that is 25 per fortnight just on marking!

That doesn't include assessments or exam paper feedback either.

Marking or if not smaller class sizes to make the aforementionedmarking slightly more tolerable