Supply teaching nightmare

[cardibach]

I left full time teaching about a year ago to do supply to save my mental health. Started looking this September. Had a really good term almost full time until Christmas, then immediately booked 2 terms on 90% timetable for after Christmas. Great, I thought. Security. The school said it had been a difficult post to fill so I felt quite good.
I felt quite good, that is, until I started yesterday...timetable not ready until lunch so only had that day’s classes visible. When it came, it wasn’t as agreed. Raised it with HoD at the end of the day and she got back to me later to say there was nothing to be done. Raised it with Head today who went right off on one. Called me unprofessional for saying in the office that I was unhappy with timetable and needed to discuss it. Attacked me when I told her what I was unhappy about. Really upset me then said I lacked resilience. This, ladies and gentlemen, is why I left full time teaching. Bunch of aggressive fuckers who believe they can do no wrong in charge.
We agreed to end the booking, so now I have no money coming in after turning down work for this one.

How different was the changed timetable to the one you had previously thought?

I think some of this is down to your inflexiblity.

Your tone is very confrontational and aggressive.

It's normal for plans to change in teaching, often with little/no notice. Part of the job is being adaptable to change. Even more so when doing supply work.

What was wrong with it? Hod implies Secondary rather than primary. Have you been allocated classes you weren't expecting?

Sometimes schools shuffle timetables if they get a new member of staff. This can be for various reasons.

Tell them to find someone else! Maybe that’s the reason that it’s a “difficult post to fill”.
You’re supply so you don’t need to stand and listen to someone having a total go at you and you can be as inflexible as you want.

First red flag should have been how difficult it had been for them to find someone for the post.
I’m assuming that you are with a agency? Move on, they are unreasonable. You’ll find plenty of work elsewhere

I've done supply. Some schools are like this, they get someone through the door and then start changing everything they'd previously agreed.

In future if it happens go back to your agency - they are getting paid handsomely they might as well do some work! Contact them, say the agreed role / timetable has changed and it's not what you agreed to, you want it changed back or you want more money or you want to leave. They will then have it out with the school. Usually they'll be far better negotiators than the school so you will get what you want!

Stick to your guns
A pushy manager taking liberties is the last thing you want.
If she changes the agreed schedule then you have every reason to walk. Your sanity and health are your primary importance.
Where else are you mean to raise problems, not in the office........

Ask the agency for a different school. You don't need that shit if you're doing supply.

Walk out. One of the benefits of supply is that you absolutely can just walk out, and be working somewhere else tomorrow. You don't have to put up with it.

She’s already said she’s not going back.

I don’t think your tone sounds confrontational!

It’s very likely that this is not even slightly about you! It’s a shame that’s it’s come to an end but I sounds like I would have been awful.

I think there are different expectations when you are on a long term post. More planning and marking etc than you get with short term or day to day but without any of the control!

It's normal for plans to change in teaching, often with little/no notice.

It may well be 'normal' in some schools but it is highly unprofessional to change the terms of an agreed contract without discussion.
The HT was out of line OP. Who the fuck does he think he is? Sadly many schools are run by people who haven't the first clue about managing people.

Sometimes schools shuffle timetables if they get a new member of staff. This can be for various reasons.

I know a HOD that does this... swoops the timetable around so that any and all challenging classes fall onto the newcomer.
It's awful to watch.

I know a HOD that does this...swaps the timetable around so that any and all challenging classes fall onto the newcomer.

I also thought this was what was likely to have happened.

Teacher A had the original timetable, X, , they've gone (for whatever reason). The cover manager has gone to the agency with X timetable and arranged a supply teacher to take over that timetable.

HoD has, without talking to the cover manager, decided to swap some classes about. OP arrives expecting X timetable (as agreed) and gets presented with Y. HoD loses shit when challenged as they expect to be able to distribute their staff as they see fit, whereas the OP expects the original timetable she was given.

The HoD isn't necessarily in the wrong, she / he may have taken the GCSE classes from the supply teacher and given to perm staff, and replaced with ks3, to make sure the exam groups have a more consistent (and possibly better, some supply teachers are terrible) teacher. But it's not on to kick off at the supply teacher, and the HoD should have told the cover manager that the actual timetable was likely to change.

Thanks for the support everyone. (Well almost - I’ll just ignore *Hercwasonaroll)
It was the Acting Head who was the problem really. Whole load of out of subject teaching without any consultation. I’m actually very flexible and would have done this for a short booking, but this was two terms. Not suitable for me or the students.
Good news - agency has two leads for work in the near future. I, however, am exploring any and all leads for work outside schools.

Wishing you luck with it all, cardi.

cardibach

Its not you, the school should have stuck to what they agreed or have discussed any changes with you.

The HoD definitely shouldn't have gone off on one especially at someone that can just say fuck it and walk out.

Given that they are having problems filling the post it sounds like the agency are aware that the school is difficult.

Interestingly, *Boney, they phoned my agency to have a moan before we’d agreed I was leaving. When I spoke to them and said I was most upset that they had one that his response was not to worry, it didn’t reflect badly on me. He said ‘I work with these schools all the time, I know what they are like’.

Okay I’ve twice managed not to bold people’s names because the second * didn’t happen. Bloody iPad.

Its good to know that they have your back.

Oh man , I have many stories re supply teaching nightmares. Been supplying since 2013. On the whole I like it but very often when accepting a fixed role, it isn't quite what you agreed to! Be warned.
Happened to me many times, now I'm wise to it! 😀

I rather enjoy the look of outraged shock on SLT faces when I say that I’m obviously not suitable and I’ll phone the agency so they can find a replacement. On occasion, they’ve changed their mind, on other occasions, I’ve walked.
I feel like Sarah in Labyrinth...’You have no power over me!’

Apologies for jumping on your thread but I was just about to start a thread with an identical title.

I won't go into all of the ups and downs mostly downs of my experiences as a supply teacher but I'd been a contracted teacher for well over a decade. I've always been nice to supply teachers but I had no idea of the conditions supply teachers work under.

It's an eye opener, the only upside is that I can and now do have no qualms now about saying I'm not going back to a school.

Love the Labyrinth reference Dancingontheedge! Update. I have a term and a half in a school 10 mins from home. They were upfront about some out of subject teaching and had a plan for how it would work so I'm more than happy to do it. State Monday!

Yes! Congratulations!