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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

Anyone else feel deflated after one inset day?

45 replies

absopugginglutely · 02/09/2019 17:53

So much information/ fear of ofsted looming.
I feel demotivated and uninspired.
Think I need to look into a new career path.

OP posts:
Flyingarcher · 02/09/2019 18:20

Me. Just want to retire but can't as not old enough! Just not feeling it today.

Original poster
absopugginglutely · 02/09/2019 18:25

Me too! I don’t think 32 year olds are allowed to retire 😭

OP posts:
sanityisamyth · 02/09/2019 18:26

I always hated the whole school meeting of the GCSE/A level results chat. Was always along the lines of "the results were good but we can always do better". The same was never said to the students. It was always pressure on staff (teaching and non-teaching) to be getting better and better grades. Totally depressing and demoralising. Very glad I'm not involved this year.

sanityisamyth · 02/09/2019 18:27

@absopugginglutely I'm 36 and have left teaching this year - retraining to be a pharmacist. My course starts in 3 weeks time and I'm actually looking forward to something for the first time in years!! It's never too late . . .

Original poster
absopugginglutely · 02/09/2019 18:28

Ooh pharmacist - awesome! Good luck 👍🏼

OP posts:
BloodyhellMartha · 02/09/2019 18:33

Oh God...hollow groan...we are back in tomorrow for Inset (first one). And yes, I shall be doodling and not listening, because I couldn't give a shit, whilst SLT talk through A level and GCSE results/Progress 8 and all the other bollocks.

I did my best. And I'll do my best again this year. And as far as I am aware, so did most of my colleagues. So fuck off those of you that don't teach any longer. (ie ALL of SLT)

ILoveAnOwl · 02/09/2019 18:43

Yes! Obviously all of the school's problems are because the entire teaching staff are incompetent and if we only tried harder to keep up with all of SLTs batshit ideas we'd be fine.

But obviously SLT shouldn't be held accountable for the fact we have no timetable or class lists yet so we still can't plan anything. But it must be quality first teaching come Wednesday morning...

alwaysdressedinyellow · 02/09/2019 18:45

I suspect you’re not alone. I’m recruiting for a role at the moment outside of teaching and have been inundated with teacher CVs!

Original poster
absopugginglutely · 02/09/2019 18:49

I’m always slightly buoyed by the arrival of the dear children so that will be nice on Thursday but the constant feeling of inadequacy and striving makes me want to go and lie down.
I’ll do my best while also raising my toddler. Yaaaaawn.

OP posts:
PastTheGin · 02/09/2019 19:41

The head today was a hair’s breadth away from quoting Michael Gove’s “all schools should be above average”...

Original poster
absopugginglutely · 02/09/2019 20:29

We got 100% exp or above for SATs and apparently STILL need to improve!!

OP posts:
MsAwesomeDragon · 02/09/2019 20:36

Our results were "disappointing" apparently. Although actually my subject (maths) had record high results, so we weren't disappointed. We won't ever be congratulated on that though, as the head was "disappointed".

I have year 7 form arriving on Wednesday and learned some horrible things about their home lives today. As a case of "keep an eye on X as ...." It breaks my heart that some of these kids are already facing such difficult home lives.

noblegiraffe · 02/09/2019 21:58

We were informed today that our (inc my) great results were due to strategic decisions made by SLT. Well done them. Hmm

Piggywaspushed · 02/09/2019 22:44

The whole of our staff was told the school's headline figures would be better if

BelindasGleeTeam · 02/09/2019 22:48

1.5hrs department time. No class lists til 3pm
So obviously I'm ready for tomorrow 🙄

NoLeopard · 02/09/2019 22:53

...Was always along the lines of "the results were good but we can always do better".
Yep, that was the gist of the GCSE results talk today from the head of our MAT secondary. Then our head (primary) parroted exactly the same about the KS1 results. Then there were talks on well-being and the importance of the mental health of staff. Oh the irony.

whydoibover · 02/09/2019 22:55

Ours was the worst ever! We spent the whole morning hearing a load of unrealistic shite and then in the last 5 minutes we were given a new policy to feedback on. It was 10 pages long and to save money it had been reduced to A5 and we had to share 1 between 8 Grin. Clearly the head doesn't give a shit what we think of the policy.

BrigitsBigKnickers · 02/09/2019 23:09

Oh God I am actually running inset training first thing tomorrow. 80 teachers who will be chomping at the bit to get into their classrooms, kill me now!

MsAwesomeDragon · 03/09/2019 07:03

We've got another inset today, but I think this one might be more useful. We've got more time in departments and some whole staff training on autism. That will certainly be less demoralising than yesterday. I'm going in with high hopes of learning something (and of having time to put up some displays and get my books sorted ready for teaching tomorrow)

Piggywaspushed · 03/09/2019 07:13

Good luck Brigit : I have been in your position many a time!

I think it would have helped yesterday of the people delivering the training , and the SLT members talking about it hadn't basically kept justifying a particular slot, told us to be good and listen, instructed us to get something out of it, and prepared a slide that told us to be kind! All of those things make me feel like a child : in fact, I don't speak to my students like that. It puts thoughts into one's head!

Michaelbaubles · 03/09/2019 07:18

When I moved to sixth form college I was amazed at how different the back to school talk could be! Yes we go through results but no individual departments singled out, just a talk about general trends and some areas to look out for (gender gap etc). Ofsted yes but because we have good reason to think they’re in soon, so some sensible, achievable stuff we can be doing to be ready that’s little extra work and good practice anyway. A reminder that we do well and can show them good things when they come in. Lots of laughs and a much flatter hierarchy feel than at school - SLT talk to you like a peer rather than a boss except when it’s really needed. And starting the year with no sick feeling of dread! Amazing!

ValancyRedfern · 03/09/2019 07:20

I found out my line manager is a man who's been systematically undermining me for years. It's got me so stressed. I can't bear to look at him never mind have a 50 min meeting with him every week. Especially when I know his aim is to amalgamate my dept into his and leave me without a job.

Sewingbea · 03/09/2019 07:23

Are you SLT Brigit? If so, perhaps avoid telling the assembled eighty to try harder this year 😆. Hope it goes well.

NoLeopard · 03/09/2019 07:52

How many primaries got the 'we're so lucky to be one big happy family' type speech? How HTs can keep a straight face when saying this is an amazing gift.

tanstaafl · 03/09/2019 08:16

SLT - Senior Leadership Team?
That would be Head, Deputy and Department Heads/Leads?

I can understand in business , people wanting to keep their heads down, not ‘rock the boat’ , have the wrong attitude ( God I hate that statement ) , not lose their job ultimately, but , and maybe i’m being naive here, in school surely it’s an open forum ?

You get to question the strategy, ask Why, What, How?

Not having a go, just trying to understand the environment you’re in, as someone said above, it’s sounding like how private company’s do their cascades or ‘Town Halls’ as they’re called in my company.

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