Schools and money

[fattt]

I really need advice.

I work in a school that prides itself on pastoral care and it has regular tutor time competitions.

We never win but the thing is I can't afford to. They involve dressing up or having mascots or house colours - our house is red, I own nothing red but apparently I have to wear red on Monday. Payday isn't until Monday either.

I know it sounds stupid but it's really shit.

No, back, that isn't what I said. That's your misreading.

I don't want to give specifics but I will give one specific example that isn't wearing red. We have to put on a play. Every week we produce something related to this play. One week it will be programmes.

We are not given any resources for this. Give a typical year 9 kid a piece of paper and a pencil and say make a programme and what do you think they will come up with?

As I've said I'm partly just grumbling.

Re PM the target is to do with a whole school thing which I really can't give away.

The school prides itself on pastoral care but it is pretty exhausting.

Your really need to talk to your union. I'm guessing that 'dressing up' is not the target as that really doesn't adhere to teacher standards. Regardless, it sounds onerous and not related to teaching and learning. If you can't talk to SLT (and I definitely understand that), you need to get your union rep to do it for you.

What subject do you teach? I’ve you no resources at all?

Can you book a computer room and make an eco friendly ‘online only’ programme on google docs?

Offer commendations it merits to the most easily bribable and bright two (call it a position of responsibility) and then turn a blind eye to the rest catching up with homework/having a nap.

I don’t really get why you would think making programmes was expensive or particularly arduous -presumably you have to entertain/contain them for a couple of 20 min slots a week anyway.

When it comes to the play do something Greek or Shakespeare /totally out of copyright. And edit it heavily to very short scenes that get across the message with choral speaking. Set it in a school so no costumes 🤣

Those that really won’t participate in the acting can hold up signs/placards as narrators. If they don’t want to speak they must bring in a cardboard box for this (or else get them from the school kitchen for free) and borrow some white and black paint from art.

Just say you don’t have anything suitable, end of story. They can’t discipline you.

I think if this were me and it were unavoidable, I'd make it my form's 'thing' to put an eco-friendly spin on every challenge (and therefore free).

So, for example on wear red week, I'd have them make eco-bricks with red recyclables and carry those on the Friday. I bet everything could be spun to be zero-carbon/ anti-waste/ pre-recycling (and free) with some thought.

You still haven't said why you can't just use the words 'I'm sorry but I can't afford it.' What's wrong with that? You are coming across as a touch difficult.

If you work in school you just get used to saving things. I have a red jacket that I never wear but I'm not throwing out because once in a while I need something red.

You must have something something red in the Christmas decorations box you can put in your hair. Or borrow something. Or don't bother.

Are there no like minded people on the staff who share your view? I find it difficult to believe in a secondary school that all the other tutors are up for this, let alone all the pupils.

In the wider sense, owning a house coloured top and something vaguely christmassy is to be expected I think. The rest, not so much.

Hi @fattt how was today in the end? I hope you managed to find something you were comfortable in or at least felt able to voice your feelings to someone with the power to change things in some way.

I feel for you OP. You need to speak to SLT and tell them you can't afford it. It is not right that achieving your pm target should cost you money. (I have spent a fortune on school activities over the years, since becoming a single mum I've had to stop)

We have similar nonsense at our school e.g. an easter fair where each form has to have a stall but there's no funding or resources. Everything has to come out of either the kids or teacher's pockets.