Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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.

Is it ever acceptable to moan about your timetable?

21 replies

Puffinsnamechange · 17/07/2017 21:09

Even if you've only been given KS3?

OP posts:
Chestnut24 · 17/07/2017 21:14

I think it would be fair to ask why, but also be ready for a possibly upsetting answer. How have your results been? Have you had any issues with KS4 classes?

If you can perceive no reasons why I suggest talking to your union rep about being 'deskilled'.

Good luck

DumbledoresApprentice · 17/07/2017 22:17

I don't think moaning will achieve much. I think it is perfectly reasonable to ask why and express disappointment though. I think that as chestnut said you have to be prepared for an answer that may not be easy to hear. If there is no good reason then you may want to speak to your union.

DorothyL · 17/07/2017 23:26

Never knew it was bad form to moan about your timetable! Why?

TheFallenMadonna · 17/07/2017 23:29

People moan about their timetables all the time! I pity timetablers at this time of year. I would dof more than moan about only having one key stage (well, I only have one now, but that'should because of my setting). Although that doesn't seem to be your gripe...

Rosieposy4 · 17/07/2017 23:46

I haven't moaned but mine is pretty shit imo.
I have all seven years, a ridiculous number of names across y8-10, and lots of very weak KS3 classes. Have kept tongue firmly clamped.

noblegiraffe · 18/07/2017 00:16

Every year there's the annual departmental fight about the timetable. I have to moan every year as I'm a part-timer and the first proposal is always incompatible with life. A couple of years ago I got all bottom sets, because the timetabler gone along divvying up the groups but not actually looked at each person's timetable as a whole to see how things fell. I managed to get a couple swapped.

If you're not moaning, rest assured that others are.

albertcamus · 18/07/2017 05:21

It's not usually the person doing the actual time tabling, it's the SLT/HoD/back-stabbers/a**lickers pulling the strings who cause 'Unfair Timetable Syndrome' ...

Argeles · 18/07/2017 06:25

At the interview and induction day at a new school, I was informed that I would definitely have 2 GCSE classes, and that I'd be only teaching my main subject. It was also said that I would be in charge of improving the existing AS and A Level option in my subject area, so that the school may actually be able to recruit some students at that level for the first time in 3 years. I was also meant to have dedicated time referred to as 'development' on my timetable, and this is where I'd make changes to the whole school curriculum in my subject area, not just in the Sixth Form. I had had similar responsibilities in other schools, and was looking forward to this new role.

The induction day was held in late July, but despite this, I was not even given a preliminary timetable. I ensured that I was contactable over the Summer holidays, so that they may send me my timetable. I contacted them to ask for my timetable when I'd still not received it in the last week of July and was told it still wasn't ready.

The first day of school was a 'training' day. I finally received my timetable and was horrified. It consisted solely of KS3 teaching - across 3 subject areas, usual amount of PPA time - no 'development' time as promised. I was also expected to teach in 5 different classrooms, including one for which I would be mainly responsible, and also be a full time Year 7 tutor.

To say I was absolutely livid is an understatement. I asked if the timetable was correct, and all involved were very sheepish, but pretty much just told me I'd have to get on with it. I complained, and also contacted my union. I had 1 hour of teaching time subtracted as a result, and I was treated like a trouble maker. From then on I was victimised and systematically bullied by several members of staff. I became ill very quickly, it was truly horrendous. My Doctor wrote me off sick, and I spent this time feeling very inhuman, and worried sick about finding other work as there was no way I could go back there.

I was offered a long term supply position with an agency who I'd done a couple of months work with once before. I wrote the Head a letter telling them I was resigning with immediate effect, and detailed everything. I started at the supply role and had an amazing time, and during which, I acquired a permanent position at a truly fantastic school who valued me greatly and didn't fuck me over. I would still be there now if I hadn't become a mother and a sahm.

My advice would be to ask them why you've been given only KS3, and tell them that you're unhappy, but be ready for repercussions. Look elsewhere for Teaching roles from today, and sign up with supply agencies. I am sick to death of hearing about the ways in which so many of us are treated, and I wish you the best of luck.

MaisyPops · 18/07/2017 06:33

Isn't moaning about the timetable standard? Grin
Though seriously, unless you're in a small department with not many ks4 groups (sometimes it really can't be helped), I'd take the all ks3 timetable as being either a sign that they aren't happy with your ks4 results or they are hoping you'll make a decision to look elsewhere.
it's the SLT/HoD/back-stabbers/alickers pulling the strings
Completely! I've had a good timetable the last few years (some tricky groups but a nice mix) & there's one person in the team who always seems to get an easier ride:
the champion ass-licker who talks a lot but is lazy so probably not surprising.

IchFliegeNach · 18/07/2017 08:32

Why moan? Why not just calmly talk to your HoD?
I have had to timetable a member f staff in a large school with all KS3 because their KS4 results were so poor and they didn't have the subject knowledge for KS5.
However, this was communicated and support and raining built into their appraisal/PM for the following year. IMO, you should be able to teach your sunbject at every key stage, and be given a chance for development to grow or address any areas of weakness.

Why do you think this has happened? (genuine question!) I wouldn't be happy with this myself.

IchFliegeNach · 18/07/2017 08:34

Sorry for all the typos!

TheFallenMadonna · 18/07/2017 08:35

I was SLT in my last post and taught in 11 different rooms. Eleven!

Lucycat · 18/07/2017 13:04

I'd just like to see my timetable to be able to moan ☺️ I'm part time and this last year I taught in 11 different classrooms- just 22 periods too. Full timers get their own rooms, I just wander around. Luckily I'm a geography teacher so I tend not to get too lost 😂

Never mind - still 3 days before summer

DoctorDonnaNoble · 19/07/2017 07:47

Mine's not great this year. I've lost my a Level main subject. However, that's because my HOD doesn't trust my maternity cover (unappointed when timetable written) to take over the largest year 13 class. Ho hum. A term of 7,8,9,10 and A2 General Studies could be worse.

sakura06 · 21/07/2017 21:25

I'm worried about mine too. It has only been finalised today. The whole process seems to have been a shambles. I have only one group to myself in my main subject. All others are split (including my Y10 and Y11 classes) or are combined subjects. I've inexplicably been made a KS5 tutor, for which I have no relevant experience, and I feel sad to have been taken out of the lower school's house system (KS5 tutors aren't a part of this).

noblegiraffe · 21/07/2017 21:45

The timetable that I finally saw the evening before the last day of term was very different to the one I was originally shown. Some has been fixed (I stormed in first thing in the morning to moan!) so it's not as horrendous, thankfully, but I do wonder whether they stuck some ridiculous things in so when that was changed I was grateful and just accepted the rest.

noblegiraffe · 21/07/2017 21:49

One of the surprises was that I don't have a classroom next year, so had to unexpectedly pack up my crap on the last day.

superram · 21/07/2017 22:00

My nqt is very ks3 heavy with only one year 10 group. I ensured everyone managed to not teach one year group-hasn't happened. I am up to my allocation and 5 lessons of year 12 not tt yet. I would not be a tter for love nor money- they can't win.

Noodledoodledoo · 26/07/2017 12:14

I have had to challenge my HoD as I have only got 1 lesson a week of KS4+ am not happy.

The excuses are its due to me being part time and just back from mat leave number 2, and not wanting shared classes in KS4 - my arguement back was there are 3 shared classes in KS4 and all KS5 is shared.

Apparently it is SLT who dictate who is teaching based on results - I have pointed out that I have no way of proving myself then and if it repeats itself next year I will move elsewhere as I can reduce my commute considerably and I am not happy to commute for such a rubbish timetable. I like the phrase deskilling used above - am storing that one.

Sadly they have lost a lot of goodwill - I will not be supporting the extra revision sessions we put on - my reasoning if I am not good enough to teach it I am not good enough to run revision!

CauliflowerSqueeze · 01/08/2017 11:15

I can see the irritation of being peripatetic (I was in 10 classrooms last year) and I can see the irritation of having all low sets. But I don't see the problem with teaching only key stage 3 - make a difference there!

BizzyFizzy · 01/08/2017 22:50

The class allocation has little to do with the timetabler. It is a decision initially made by the HOD. There can be final tweaks to make everything fit, which might mean one or two split classes in order to accommodate a part-timer, but this does not explain "all KS3" or "all bottom sets".

Unless you have a particular point in your professional development, I don't think there's a lot of mileage in making a big fuss about your classes at this stage. You can have your concerns noted and hopefully your professionalism and loyalty will pay off for the following year. Bummer not to get that break in the summer term, though - that's what I'd be thinking.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page