At my wits end...WWYD?

[WillowB]

I would appreciate some honest advice as I can't see the wood for the trees right now...
I teach primary on a 0.5 contract in a key yr group in terms of data/ofsted.
For over a year now I have jobshared with a supply teacher. I have a good relationship with her however she basically teaches then goes home. This leaves me with full responsibility for the class in terms of assessment, planning, reports, parents evenings, displays and everything else that goes with the job. I was under the impression that it would be a short term arrangement until the post was advertised and someone was appointed yet here we are. I have raised my concerns with SLT but have been fobbed off with no end to the situation in sight.
I also have responsibility for a large subject area as I'm on ups1
This places large demands on my time both in and out of school.
I'm finding that I'm sinking. I work most evenings once my children are in bed even on my non working days plus a few hours each weekend. Despite this I can't keep on top of everything I'm being expected to do.
My year group team were summoned to a meeting last week where we were told we needed to work harder as so many children are below age related expectations. We are going to be closely monitored by SLT.
I honestly don't have any more to give. I feel so anxious about going to work next week, I'm not sleeping.
Do I get signed off and hope it spurs them on to appoint someone to jobshare or tough it out till I can find something else?? Haven't felt this rubbish in 15yrs of teaching

I would leave that school. I presume you’re in Y6? That workload is simply not sustrainable when you are only paid on 0.5.

Get signed off

Tell them this isn't manageable in the long term and if they want what is best for the children them they need to come up with another solution

If supply has been working more than 13 weeks they will be getting paid at scale and should (imo) be contributing to assessing planning etc. (It's why I never took long term contracts when I was on supply, I didn't want to do it!) I hope if you're doing all of that for the class you are getting at least full time equivalent PPA and possibly another couple of days a term cover so you can stay on top of it all. This is absolutely happening in other schools (I've seen it as both supply and permanent staff) so it is possible.

Honestly it's so hard when you're snowed under with everything but once you start saying no it becomes much easier.

Possible solutions: Either something will not need doing after all or someone else will do it, or you do it but you get extra time or you get signed off sick or they sack you (I cannot stress how unlikely this last one is!)

it's a terrible situation to be in. I've been there, so have others, it's not worth ruining your health or missing out on irreplaceable family time for. It really isn't.

Thanks for your replies, I really appreciate them

Yes I do get full PPA, however I just about get my planning done in this time, I usually still have the resources and flipcharts to finish at home plus all the other stuff. My subject responsibility also eats into this time. I haven't been given any additional time for reports/data etc and I'm held accountable for the class at termly progress meetings. I think it's the accountability aspect as much as the workload that's getting me down, though I'm doing twice as much now as when I worked full time!!

I'm planning on going to the GP on mon I think to be signed off then I'll see if I can arrange a meeting with school to address the situation going forward.

I'm sorry you're feeling so dreadful and I have no advice as I'm 15 years too and have never felt more micro-managed and scrutinised in all that time. I keep thinking I'm so close to just walking out and to hell with the consequences. My school is shockingly bad in all aspects - just dreadful.

she basically teaches then goes home

Is that all she’s paid to do though? She’s NBU if she’s only paid to teach and go home, she can’t be expected to stick around and do additional work if she isn’t contracted or paid to do so.

How did the arrangement come about? Were you originally full time and then went on mat returning part time?

I have always been employed on a 0.5 contract. My original jobshare left & wasn't replaced.
Just to be clear I'm not having a pop at the supply, she's entitled to go home with no commitment. It's SLT I hold responsible

Getting signed off on Monday sounds good, it will give you some time to rest so you have the head space to think about what you need and how to ask for it.

I definitely think extra time for things like reports/ data/strategically planning how to support your class next term would be useful.

Maybe also ask for some reassurance that there is a plan in place to get someone in asap (are they advertising the post for after Easter? If not, why not? What's the rationale? What's the plan for autumn term?)

If they are not able to support you properly, start making your exit plan. Look at other vacancies, ask your job share what supply is like in your area!

As a teacher it's easy to think that the main thing that matters is the pupils' attainment and wellbeing but your health and happiness is also important.

The thing my Union rep said that really stuck with me was, it's not your job to come up with solutions to all the problems, that's what the head is paid for. If there are unmanageable problems for him/her it's their job to can seek help on how to solve them. (DH would say shitstorms are supposed to get passed up not down!)

Try and rest this weekend, hope it goes well

If she is long term supply vs day to day cover then it is usually the case they should be doing the teaching job, not turning up and going home.
It's why some of my friends don't do more than 6 week blocks anywhere and dont takr term to term contracts. They dont want the hassle (as that's often why they went to supply from a permanent job to start with).

If over a year she's been doing this then I think the piss is being taken a bit. SLT should be looking at staffing etc and making tough decisions on who is in which year etc.

Sorry to hear this. It sounds difficult. Glad to hear you get the PPA. Do you get a TLR for your responsibility? It sounds like you should.

If this is long term supply then there is pay parity with whoever was in the post meaning she should be getting paid on the same level as a contracted person. Supply can also get paid upper scale too so there should and is an expectation of long term supply taking on a similar responsibility of other teachers. Supply rates of pay are usually (I can't be sure as don't know the agency so basing this on the experience I have with every other agency) based on 195 days of a The gets salary therefore if a supply teacher works in a school or ever schools for a full year they will receive the same pay as teacher.

In my experience long term supply take on the full role of the teacher they replace so while slt have more responsibility this supply teacher is shirking her responsibility too.

If you do get signed off sick make sure you are clear it is about work replaced stress. Your employer hopefully has a robust absence policy and will need to arrange a sickness review meeting (your union rep can be present) very quickly. We always trying within two weeks to do this.

Good luck

Also, invoke duty of care. The SLT hasn't taken steps to ensure your well being and made sure you're properly supported to carry out your duties. Write to the HT and chair of Govs. Contact yoyr union for advice too.

@WillowB how did you get on?

And to the pp about having a TLR for subject leadership - I wish! I'm part time but still have responsibility for a core subject. No extra pay, extra ppa or anything

Thanks for asking after me, after my original post I took a week (well 2.5 days) off to just take a step back as I was in a real state.
When I returned to work my HT filled out a return to work form. I explained that I'd been off due to anxiety. She looked slightly bemused when I said it was down to workload/accountability.
She said she will discuss the jobshare situation at the next SLT meeting. And that was it!! So basically nothing has changed.
I'm so tempted to go on supply at easter but I know I then won't be paid for the 6 weeks hols. It really is rubbish

Supply can also get paid upper scale too so there should and is an expectation of long term supply taking on a similar responsibility of other teachers. Supply rates of pay are usually (I can't be sure as don't know the agency so basing this on the experience I have with every other agency) based on 195 days of a The gets salary therefore if a supply teacher works in a school or ever schools for a full year they will receive the same pay as teacher

I have been supply for the last two years. Getting paid to scale isn’t automatic and I haven’t come across any school willing to pay above M6 rates. On Facebook groups I am seeing increasing concerns of schools/agencies refusing to pay over M3. I have had a week off since April last year - my P60 this year will read about £18k and I should be paid at M5. Am long term and do planning and parent’s evenings and meetings. Budgets are stretched. Supply is taking a hit.

The supply agencies around here don’t pay anyone to scale. Some even try to pay CS rates!

The market is flooded with supply teachers fleeing from unhappiness in their permanent jobs and desperate for any sort of income so the agencies have them over a barrel.

Pay portability doesn’t exist at all any more for permanent jobs anyway.

Doesn't inspire me with confidence!
You would think with so many people leaving permanent jobs demand for supply would be high as someone needs to fill the vacancies

@ohreallyohreallyoh
Are you full time? Have the school offered you a contract?
I've seen quite a few long term posts advertised. I guess there are situations where a class teacher is absent however in our school supply is now being used in at least 3 full time empty posts