Leaving and references

[Teacher278]

I am desperate to leave my school and following a coded sort of conversation with my HT he in essence said ‘leave now and the reference I give you will be awful but hang on another year and I’ll do you a good one.’

That was back in may.

It’s a first from me but we break up next week and already I’m feeling sick about September. Right now I can tell myself only one more week but come September there’s the knowledge of another ten months.

I don’t know what to do.

Leave! Well, obviously it’s too for late for the start of the year but he can’t blackmail you with a poor reference. It’s against the law. I’m outraged on your behalf.

Leave! It will be spalling for your health if you stay especially as you have said that you already feel sick at the thought of going back in September!!
Just go and if he gives you a bad reference (illegal btw) explain to your next school that he was a bully. There are a lot of them about you’ll probably be believed.

It isn’t illegal to give a bad reference though and teaching is so subjective.

It is illegal to give you a factually incorrect reference whether that be negative or positive. So if you HT has no reason to give you a poor reference - ie you are meeting your targets, have a good attendance, punctuality and no complaints from students or staff against you then a negative reference can be fought against and won. Yes it might loose you a job but you could take him to a tribunal and win.

Your HT must realise it is better to let an unhappy teacher go than pay them on the sick for months on end?

That’s horribly manipulative- who’s to say you’d get a good reference in a year? Sounds like leaving is your best bet. Are you looking for work or would you leave without a job?

They can’t give you a poor written reference.

Why do you think they can’t? Yes, they certainly can.

Get your union to help you negotiate a reference.

Union have not been any help (there’s a shock!)

If you went to an interview OP and explained that your current HT has threatened you in the way that he has, I’m sure they will understand and —think he’s a grade A tosser—
Give you a chance xx

What do you think the head would write?

Have you had inadequate lesson observations or missed PMR targets?

I am currently on leadership scale.

HT agrees teaching is excellent but not L & M.