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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.

Sociopath boss

4 replies

pebblemiller · 15/05/2019 22:08

I'm not sure my boss is actually a sociopath but she's certainly something. Mid sized department in a secondary school. She is the boss. She makes our lives hell with her behaviour. She flies off the handle slightest thing, she storms in mid lessons and will point out any errors she perceives in the teaching loudly and in front of the class. She talks about everybody. She blows hot and cold and she likes things done her exact way and gets frustrated if people don't understand or don't do it quickly enough. She moans that we don't create materials but tears apart any materials we do make. She is completely inconsistent. One day she may say to do something a certain way and then all of a sudden that's not correct and she never said that. She is a master manipulator and any attempts to say 'but you said...' or whatever do not end well. She picks in a couple of weaker people all the time but herbehaviour is usually directed at everybody to a varying degree.

There have been complaints about her in the past but nothing was done. This puts us off going down that route again. SMT seem to like her and appear happy with her and again that puts us off. If we are having a chat ever she might enthusiastically join in or she might tut and huff and then send a passive aggressive email about professionalism and working harder.

I would leave but honestly if I was to apply for a job and not get it then life would be worse than it is now!

No idea why I'm posting. Hoping for some advice maybe.

OP posts:
ThomasRichard · 15/05/2019 22:16

Leave. I had a manager like this. Out of a team of 7, the only people still there a year later were a colleague who worked remotely and me, who went on maternity leave after four weeks off with stress, a 4-page grievance and refusing to work for her directly. She was sacked in the end but it took two years and my confidence was shot for another couple of years after that. Prioritise your mental health and get out of there.

pebblemiller · 15/05/2019 22:27

Almost all staff in the department are long serving. New staff members come and there are issues. They are blamed and then they leave under a cloud usually.

OP posts:
astuz · 16/05/2019 21:18

I had a HoD like this - I had to leave in the end, she behaved exactly how you describe (maybe we're talking about the same person?!). We couldn't complain about her because the Head loved her.

It was probably one of the worst times in my life ever - horrendous and I honestly think I would have had a nervous breakdown if I'd stayed much longer. I managed to stick it out for a year and two terms, but wished I'd left after one term.

CraftyGin · 17/05/2019 19:57

I had a sociopathic boss in a small prep school. Lots of door slamming, and equipment disappearing from my lab.

I knew from the first week that it was not going to work, so I am very proud of myself for seeing out the year. It was a parallel universe.

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