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Original poster

Colleague's absence

30 replies

blackwych · 22/06/2019 13:21

I cannot find a definitive answer to this. A colleague that I share a class with is absent - I think he is quite ill so I don't know when he will be back. I have seen advice that says that a sick teacher can't be expected to plan lessons when they are absent, but in that case who is expected to do the planning? I am employed for 2.5 days, and at the moment I am having to plan for 5.

OP posts:
echt · 22/06/2019 14:03

Surely the HOD has units of work for this. Are you in the UK?

noblegiraffe · 22/06/2019 14:19

When my collegue who I shared a class was off, the planning for his classes was split between the TLR holders in the department. We split classes by teaching different topics so what was going on in the other class didn’t need any of my input at all.

Original poster
blackwych · 22/06/2019 14:48

I am in the UK, but it's a primary. There are no heads of departments, or departments. The only people responsible for the class's lessons are me and my sick colleague.

OP posts:
LolaSmiles · 22/06/2019 14:59

I would have said it falls to a TLR holder so in primary a phase leader or member of senior leadership.

It's certainly not the job of a class teacher who shares the group.

daisychain01 · 22/06/2019 15:00

Can't you discuss your concerns with whoever you report to, your next in command so to speak?

Presuming the school staff is comprised of a larger team than you and your sick colleague.

triptrapdollydumpling · 22/06/2019 15:02

Who is delivering the lessons?

Original poster
blackwych · 22/06/2019 16:45

People delivering the lessons is a mixture of TAs, supply and HT. The second week after my colleague was ill I was contacted and asked to supply planning as he had stopped sending planning in.

The trouble is no one but me and him know what's been covered so far. But this is doubling my planning workload.

OP posts:
Confusedteacher · 22/06/2019 16:51

I would speak to whoever your line manager Ian and ask what the long term solution is. I was recently off school for a couple of weeks due to a family bereavement and my department sorted out the cover between them, but I imagine it’s different in primary where it’s a whole class all day rather than just some cover lessons.

Surely they should be looking at getting a long term supply in?

MrsWooster · 22/06/2019 16:53

I would take a copy of the long and mid term plans, indicate clearly what has already been covered and highlight which sections you will be covering and that you will be planning for. A degree of faux innocence may be in order - “I hope that will help by showing you (slt) which areas will need to be prepared by you for delivery by supply et al”. It’s absolutely not ok to expect you to take on a 100% increase in your planning load, even at the dog end of the year. There should, surely, be a record of last years planning that they can recycle anyway?

Nix32 · 22/06/2019 17:00

So this is your class - you do 2.5 days, he normally does the other 2.5 days? I would expect to cover his planning - you know the children, the topics, what they need to cover. Yes, it's extra work, but it's part of being a team. I wouldn't want to give the planning to someone else - you'd end up with a very disjointed week.

Girasole02 · 22/06/2019 17:06

As a supply teacher myself, it's likely that the school will try to avoid getting a long term supply in as, once they start planning, marking etc, the school has to pay more. Depends on the financial circumstances of your school but my guess is that this will be their plan as it's quite close to the end of term.

saraclara · 22/06/2019 17:09

Yes, of course you do it. I know it's a pain, but there's no-one else who can do it.

I've been on both sides of this problem. My goodwill was appreciated when I had the extra work, and it will stand you in good stead one day when you need a favour, hopefully.
When I was the person off sick, I really appreciated my other half keeping the class on track.

saraclara · 22/06/2019 17:12

Let's face it, it will be extra work for whoever does it. Some over stretched person higher up the food chain will have much more on their plate than you, and it will take them much longer to plan as they don't know the children and have the information that you have.

So be a team player and do what you can

IkeaIsForWinners · 22/06/2019 17:15

Absolutely do NOT do the planning! You are paid to plan and teach for 2.5 days, not 5! This is bit 'being a team player', it's your HR taking the piss! Say no and they can bloody well pay someone to do it!

IkeaIsForWinners · 22/06/2019 17:16

HT not HR!

noblegiraffe · 22/06/2019 17:56

Some over stretched person higher up the food chain

Some person higher up the food chain who is paid more than you so that this sort of thing is their problem and not yours...

If you want to show willing, could you plan the stuff that needs to follow on from what you’ve done on your days, so maths and English, then rearrange the timetable so all science/history/PE etc only falls to either you or supply, then someone else can plan those chunks without needing info from you (except at the start).

BoneyBackJefferson · 22/06/2019 18:11

saraclara

Some over stretched person higher up the food chain will have much more on their plate than you

And it is why they are paid more to have this responsibility.

DelphiniumBlue · 22/06/2019 18:17

Is it one form entry?

LolaSmiles · 22/06/2019 18:21

Yes, it's extra work, but it's part of being a team. I wouldn't want to give the planning to someone else - you'd end up with a very disjointed week.
By working part time and planning for a full time teacher? Who marks the work on those days? The OP, in the name of being part of a team?
If it is in the interests of a class teacher to take on additional planning and resourcing for days they don't work and aren't paid for then something is very wrong with school leadership.

Let's face it, it will be extra work for whoever does it. Some over stretched person higher up the food chain will have much more on their plate than you, and it will take them much longer to plan as they don't know the children and have the information that you have.
So be a team player and do what you can
Those people further up the chain are paid more to have more responsibility.

I'm in leadership and there is no way I'd be expecting class teachers in the department to pick up planning for someone else (unless they have a TLR or gained time that can be directed for department tasks, but that's not a thing in primary), and I certainly wouldn't be guilt tripping them by saying they need to be more of a team player. What awful leadership.

OP Noble' s suggestion if you wanted to show good will would be appreciated and comes under chipping in/team player.
Don't get taken advantage by leaders who seem to forget they are paid more to deal with situations like this.

Toodleoopuddle · 22/06/2019 21:12

Please don't do his planning. It is not your problem. This kind of thing is one of the reasons why teachers are leaving the profession in their droves. People get taken advantage of time and time again and then the system can't work without everyone doing this. You are paid for 2.5 days and the associated planning, that's what you should do.

herculepoirot2 · 22/06/2019 21:26

You absolutely should not be doing this and they are taking the piss.

thebookeatinggirl · 23/06/2019 10:26

I don't think you should be doing it either. Certainly not just being told to.

If the Head asked me nicely and offered additional PPA to cover the extra time for it, and that there was no expectation of you being expected to prep anything beyond doing the weekly paper plan (no photocopying, preparing or gathering resources) then I'd consider it simply to keep things running smoothly for my class.

Original poster
blackwych · 23/06/2019 14:29

Thanks for everyone's replies. It's interesting that there are two completely opposed sides to this. I kind of feel like I agree with both.

Nix32 and saraclara I do agree with you that I am really the only one who knows what the children should be doing. I am part of a team and therefore it wouldn't be good to refuse to do it.

On the other hand I agree with other posters that SLT should realise the extra burden of all this and step in with a solution - especially as this has been going on for quite a while.

OP posts:
KnobZombie7 · 23/06/2019 16:33

Nix32 and saraclara are wrong in this instance as many have pointed out. Any good SLT would take over the planning and delivery at this stage in the year. Yes, it's busy and yes, you know the class best, but the other 2.5 days are not your responsibility.

Maybe ask for a meeting with SLT and go with your MTP. Briefly suggest where the class could go with their learning when you're not there and how it would fit in with what you're doing with them on your 2.5 days. Ask them to look at last year's plans for this time of year.

SavoyCabbage · 23/06/2019 16:40

I’ve worked as a long term supply in this situation and the head did all the planning and left it in a folder for each day of the week. Then I would just leave a note for the job share teacher letting her know how it had gone.

Obviously I did all my marking, sticking in etc.

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