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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.

Original poster

Feel like I've lost sight of what's reasonable

78 replies

howaboutanelbow · 30/01/2019 17:55

I am HOD in a fairly small school and the department is a bit of a mix of HOYs and assistant heads: no one is "just" an English teacher.

I teach 25 hours out of 30 a week. One of these is a scheduled meeting with a graduate teacher; the other is a meeting with my line manager. So really three free hours.

The biggest headache is that I have a tutor group. The kids are perfectly nice but we have things to do in tutor time that are really intricate and detailed, like putting on a play at Christmas time and organising charity events. I also have to interview the kids and record the outcomes of these interviews. It takes loads of time as have to take them out of lessons etc. If they are absent I also need to interview them.

Then I have two exam classes who are both 32 in size. I have both five times a week. Marking takes me forever.

I have two after school events and also meetings until 5 once a week.

I'm exhausted and I feel like I am doing a rubbish job. I've been told off twice today and both were about petty things but I don't know.

Am I being unreasonable here?

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 30/01/2019 21:35

I agree. Don't set detentions.

You aren't allowed your phone and you do cover... are you sure you haven't time travelled?? Or ended up in MAT...
Seriously OP, not all school are like this, especially towards precious commodities such as HoDs of core subjects. Your school sounds a Low trust institution. I thought I came from one, but yours takes the biscuit.

Original poster
howaboutanelbow · 30/01/2019 21:35

Thanks. Both: schools mobile free zone

OP posts:
Original poster
howaboutanelbow · 30/01/2019 21:36

Yeah I know piggy ... I've done the HOD role before, it wasn't perfect but by christ it wasn't this bad. however, I don't think I'd stand a chance at another job and so I suppose I'll have to put up with it Sad

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 30/01/2019 21:36

We recently had a HoD leave after less than a year : went back to previous school. It makes quite the statement.

Goodynuf · 30/01/2019 21:39

Feck it and don't put pressure on yourself to do everything some plates have to slide...

TheFifthKey · 30/01/2019 21:43

You don’t think you’d find another HOD English job? There seems to be plenty going as no bugger wants them as far as I can tell. My once highly-esteemed ex-school is now in dire straits and has a teacher with 4 years experience as a Head if English, and he was the best they could get.

wherehavealltheflowersgone · 30/01/2019 21:43

Also bear in mind though - the first year in a new post / school is HIDEOUS.

Honestly if it was me I'd write to the head and say you cannot do all the tasks well and it's affecting your professionalism and will certainly affect the GCSE results. Suggest in writing that you no longer do the form tutor role. If the answer from the head is a no then think fuck it and apply for a new job, as this one is untenable and It will not improve.

Next autumn (if you're still there) you'll be grilled about your dept's results so you need to set those boundaries now.

Original poster
howaboutanelbow · 30/01/2019 21:43

I know but honestly the response I had today was really pretty severe and that's for not doing some stupid pointless activity in form time.

I mean, there aren't answers. I just start losing my mind as everyone else seems quite happy, thanks very much.

OP posts:
Original poster
howaboutanelbow · 30/01/2019 21:44

Yeah I know but I think I'd just get "being a form tutor is an integral part of the role at X school" spiel.

OP posts:
wherehavealltheflowersgone · 30/01/2019 21:46

Then tell them that the form tutor role and improved English results are mutually exclusive and resign. There's loads of other HOD jobs out there

Piggywaspushed · 30/01/2019 21:46

Is the HOY telling you off for not doing things in form time??S/he is probably also being bullied by a line manager...

Original poster
howaboutanelbow · 30/01/2019 21:47

No it was an A/H

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 30/01/2019 21:49

How do they know you didn't do it?

Chottie · 30/01/2019 21:55

OP - I'm not a teacher, but I was surprised to read that you have to telephone the 'no show' pupils yourself. Would it be possible for the school secretary to take over that job?

Original poster
howaboutanelbow · 30/01/2019 22:01

No, we have to, we are supposed to build relationships with the parents. In any case tbf I don't know any school who doesn't have the teacher contact the parents.

Didn't do what piggy?

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 30/01/2019 22:05

Didn't do the thing in form time that you got told off about?

MsJaneAusten · 30/01/2019 22:05

I’m a HOD English and have nowhere near as much additional crap as you. It’s still totally overwhelming. I completely sympathise.

Please, please speak to someone: preferably the head (they are the only person with the power to change it)

Piggywaspushed · 30/01/2019 22:06

The secretary wouldn't do that in a normal secondary school but automated email systems should be better used in so many schools.

Original poster
howaboutanelbow · 30/01/2019 22:09

She barged in during form time when apparently we should have all been doing it.

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 30/01/2019 22:11

Goodness. You are being checked up on. TES on Friday!

noblegiraffe · 30/01/2019 22:15

tbf I don't know any school who doesn't have the teacher contact the parents.

Not by phone. A standard email about non-attendance takes a lot less time than individual phonecalls.

MsJaneAusten · 30/01/2019 22:51

Op, I have pmed you. I hope it helps x

albertcamus · 30/01/2019 23:14

The last school I worked in treated (all teachers and) its Head of English exactly like this, and still expected her to be accountable for the results. Her marriage suffered, she left. I didn't blame her.

BackforGood · 30/01/2019 23:28

Is a HoD not a part of the management team at the school ?
Surely it is exactly you (and fellow HoDs) who should be influencing things like workload?

Don't get me wrong, I get the 'overwhelmed' and 'frustration at not being able to spend enough time on the important things'. I think every teacher across the land hears you on that, but you are in a position where you need to speak up, on behalf of your more junior colleagues if not for yourself.

I also agree that when a HoD leaves for another job so soon after joining a school, reflects a lot more on the school, than the teacher. In fact, it says a LOT about the school. You need to think of your health and mental welbeing - which effect your family as well as you.

DumbledoresApprentice · 31/01/2019 06:43

Your school does not sound normal to me at all. If I were you I’d get the hell out of there before it ground the life out of me.
Our HODs for English and Maths teach a maximum of 22/30 and they have 3 other TLR holders in each department, a KS3 lead, a KS4 lead and a cross-curricular lieteracy/numeracy lead. They aren’t tutors either.
You’ve done a term. Just apply for new jobs. If anyone asks why you’re leaving so soon just say that you’ve realised the the school just wasn’t the right fit. We wouldn’t have a problem with that. We’ve recruited a few excellent people under similar circumstances. One was recruited from a local academy where the workload was insane. She did a year there but we appointed her in around Feb/march for a September start so she’d probably started looking for a way out at around this stage. Good luck!