Can I be made to step down?

[eatingeastereggsalready]

I'm really stressed about this. Apparently my teaching and marking is excellent, my leadership of the department is not.

I will concede some of the points are fair. Some really aren't though, and are very difficult to do anything about.

Financially we are struggling as it is so being forced to step down to a teaching role or even one with a smaller TLR would put our home at risk.

I feel your pain. Sometimes, SLT get an idea into their head that someone is not working 'hard enough', which ususally equates to working in the way they want. No is the answer to your question. be prepared, though, as they may try all sorts of pretty underhand tactics to get you to 'voluntarily' give the role up.

You say 'leadership' : is it actually quantifiable, admin type stuff you aren't doing ? (The 'busy work that SLT seem so fond of as they can see it) or are there issues with your people skills? Politely request some CPD perhaps which addresses the issues which you do genuinely think are 'fair'. If they want you to improve, rather than just wanting you out, they will agree and help.

Read the 'lazy teachers' thread and you will see how much schools wnat our blood : and how many teachers pretty unquestioningly give it. We are massively taken advantage of because of this, I feel.

Not a teacher, but in my industry I would assume they were looking to reduce the staffing bill and looking to see if anyone could be managed out.

It's usually also a sign of inexperienced, maybe even incompetent management , another sign to look elsewhere for a new role

All the best.

The question would be I think if you don't step down, will they move to dismissal due to poor performance?

I doubt if you can be forced to step down. I suggest you try to have a constructive conversation with the HT along the lines of 'I have x hours per week for department leader duties, what would you like me to prioritise and spend those hours doing?' I think sometimes senior leaders have unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved in limited time. Also may be worth getting union advice is serious pressure is being applied.
The TES forums may also be a useful source of advice.

I wouldn't worry too much about that. It takes a long long time, and they would need very very robust evidence. There's a whole process , which is very difficult if you are good at the actual teaching bit. It is almost impossible to simply remove a TLR, althoguht hey might look to move you 'sideways'

The more common thing is brow beating until the TLR holder admits defeat.

How are your school's finances, OP ??

If you feel you are doing as good a job as you can, I would document your points via email and also ask for clarity on priorities.

After that, try to keep a low profile until after half term. It is quite likely that other things will become more pressing to SLT and focus will shift elsewhere.

You've reassured me a bit.

It's a new role, only joined the school in September. I do agree there's stuff I need to work on. But a lot of things are just genuinely not knowing how to execute/organise, so for example when sorting a mock exam I now know to book the hall and other admin stuff - it's a learning process.

I did have a bit of a threat last week and it scared me, we just can't afford to lose any money at all.

I am guessing you weren't given any sort of mentor or buddy : schools really should think this through more!

It also sounds like you have no admin support!

Surely you should have realised a shared space would have needed to be booked?

Really wish they had done something about the waste of space lead at the last school. Made so many fuck ups it was unbelievable and made others job incredibly difficult. Several of us left as a result because the ht wouldn't do a thing. The person is still there, still fucking up and making things hard including for pupils.

So based on that I would assume it's really hard to strip someone of leadership.

Well yes, theworld, but I don't always know exactly what needs to be done. That's a throwaway example. So for instance tomorrow night there is an event I have organised. I didn't know I needed to do a programme for it (I have now) organise tea/coffee (I have now but I needed to track down the person who did that) - it's small things like that making me look bad.

Don't start with the AIBU mentality please ... I'm not up to it :)

What an insensitive and unthoughtful post! Imo OP you shouldn't be doing bookings and admin. It's not something teachers should do. And if you have to ,someone should have clarified these things to you and helped you. Please ignore the PP.

She's quite right to a point. I do need for example to book the hall, know to get it set up ... and so on.

But when you have done it once youknow what to do, doing these things for the first time is so hard. Who do I ask? You ask Mike. Who is Mike? Where is his office? He's not there, where do I find him? Once you've been somewhere a while you know but i don't just now!

That is outrageous if they are trying to stick you for not knowing minutiae like that in a new role. What bearing does that have on teaching and learning?

I think you need to take a firm line and don’t be afraid to copy emails to more than one person.

Also, can you talk to another HOD and get a sense of what tasks lie ahead in the calendar?

They can’t, but they can get rid of you on capability. Keep copies of everything and call your union.

How am I being insensitive?
When asked to undertake things you get clarification from that person who asked what they want. If you need to track down other people, you use the email system. Plus this also covers your own arse. If unsure you find someone in a similar role. Office staff are usually great at knowing how to book events, rooms etc. Even Ta's will often know how to book stuff and what is required. Ask questions in staff meetings.

If you're asked to do something in person, you email highlighting the main points from what they have asked.

Sometimes you aren't asked. And yet, you are supposed to magically know.

I hope you are in a union. Document everything. By doing this SLT can fuck you over for no reason ( that you have stated) and it's on your record for ever.

Sounds like their systems are at fault: whoever got downgraded for not knowing systems?

Document EVERYTHING. And tell the union.

This is exactly my situation. HoF for about 18 years, and will be back on UPS3 as from 1st May. I fought it for 2 years but in the end was just worn down by the non-stop pressure to step down.
And like the OP, my teaching is graded as outstanding. My leadership and management has been praised. But it came down to 'a personality clash' with a member of my team, and a very toxic 'faculty health check'.
However, despite the massive pay drop, now that I've made the decision, I cannot tell you how much happier I am. I am so looking forward to being out of the endless blame culture.

Yeah, me too but I astill in midst of it. It's relentless. Not a HoF but similar