The Sixteenth Republic - waiting on the GCSE results show!

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

You are most welcome to this school staff support thread to get us through stressful times. It is meant for school staff. Baiters and bashers can jog on somewhere else.

If you are NOT staff and just have a general education query please start your own thread.

You can play here only if you are a member of one the following groups-

-ABBA - anti bashers and baiting association
-SWAB - school workers against bashers
-SWOT - school workers opposing teacherbashers
-STARS - schoolworkers together against ranting + slurs

Other requirements for staff room entry include the ability to find the staff room, the ability to find a clean mug in the staff room, knowledge of the photocopier codes, and the ability to sniff out where the toffee vodka is hidden.

If you are fed up with cakes and biscuits there is now a cheeseboard on offer

If you come with a stick to beat us with then please do so elsewhere and not in the staffroom

Is your mentor also the induction tutor? Do you yet have the details of the contact at the appropriate body?
My job as induction tutor is to make sure that the requirements are all met. Induction has to follow statutory guidance - my head sometimes tries to get round it but he simply can't. It's the rules!
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/851336/Statutory_Induction_Guidance_2019.pdf

Yeah, if normal teachers have 22, you should have 19. School policy can’t override government policy!

Are you in a union?

They might try to pull the form group one... do you have a form?

@WhenSheWasBad

I know that it can be really hard when you're an NQT. During my first year, my head would use any excuse she could in order to take away my NQT time or force me to use it on something that she wanted. I'm not going to say to you that you need to go and demand what you are entitled to because I certainly didn't when I was in that position. However, what I will say is that you need to know that you'll be alright with whatever is happening and that your needs are being taken care of. After all, if you're not in a good place, it's so much harder to have a positive impact on your students. It's in the school's interests to have you in a good place.

@DollyMixtureLulus I'm just firing on with the mask, there are a handful of teachers in them (and many learning assistants) but I figure I used to walk around in all sorts of strange get-ups when I was younger and didn't mind folk staring then! The other issue is how much good it actually does you if others aren't wearing them...
I'm finding there are times when I forgot about Covid, just being caught up in the general business, and that's probably dangerous.

Thanks everyone for being so kind.

They don’t have a form. We have to babysit our 1st class for 20 minutes before the start of the lesson. I’ve got no free periods 1st period so that’s 1 hour 40 minutes with kids.

Then there’s a weird 20 minute a day PSHE thing just after lunch. I guess it’s a bit like a form. I’ve got that too 5 days a week.
So that’s another 1 hour 40 minutes.

I’m on a full timetable minus 1 hour.

I really think they are taking the piss with this. It’s really got to me actually.

I'm going to really make an effort from tomorrow. I think it'll be mandatory in secondaries before long. I felt daft doing my shopping to start with but now don't notice, so it should be the same, hopefully.

That sounds really busy
Hopefully the form stuff will not be much work.

I agree that they're taking the piss. If your mentor is not the induction tutor, can you speak to them? It simply doesn't meet the requirements of the NQT year, which are there to help you to pass!!

I didn’t even finish my teacher training. I’ve only taught 12 lessons a week (had Friday with my teacher training colleagues).

I’m going to spend tonight in a self pitying puddle and then try and pull myself together tomorrow.

Whenshe That's awful.

I missed if your mentor is also your HOD? Might be worth a chat with your HOD if they are not the same. Link to the relevant gov guidelines too.

I missed what subject you were but if science they probably need you more than the other way round. If things are really shit by October, get out for a Jan start elsewhere.

Right. You need to have this conversation with whoever is in charge of induction. It's hard enough with the right timetable but 12 to 21 will be hard!!!! Are you the only NQT?
I really think you also need to find out about your appropriate body.
I keep having a minor panic that you're one of my NQTs...

herc yes I’m science.

I’ve talked to my subject mentor (also HoD).

I think I need to speak to my professional mentor (I’m pretty sure he’s the induction tutor too).

I do have the contact details of someone at the appropriate body overseeing the NQT course.

PM is often the induction tutor so start with him. You're not being difficult; you're simply raising the concern that your timetable doesn't meet the requirements of induction.
My AB checks the timetables so I know they would raise concerns with the Head if needs be.
Are you in a union?

I keep having a minor panic that you're one of my NQTs

I wish I was one of your NQTs.

I’m going to contact the right person tomorrow. I really don’t want to fail this year or have a breakdown.

I at least need it highlighting that this is a big workload for an inexperienced NQT. So if / when I struggle considerations are taken into account.

I'd look after you!
We've actually kept this year's NQTs on a slightly smaller timetable because we know they don't have the experience we'd normally expect.

I’m in a union. Didn’t think I need it quite so soon.

@WhenSheWasBad - should you still have 90% timetable as NQT? Isn’t that a burgundy book requirement?

It's not time to panic. You don't need them yet.

should you still have 90% timetable as NQT? Isn’t that a burgundy book requirement

I think it’s meant to be 90% of whatever the standard is for regular teachers at the school.

Regular teachers teach 22 hours (out of 25) so I think that puts me on 19?

Honestly thanks for all the replies (especially on results day). It honestly means a lot.

@WhenSheWasBad

should you still have 90% timetable as NQT? Isn’t that a burgundy book requirement

I think it’s meant to be 90% of whatever the standard is for regular teachers at the school.

Regular teachers teach 22 hours (out of 25) so I think that puts me on 19?

It depends on how they are calculating it. If they are doing a straight 80% of lessons then it'd be 20.25 so 20 lessons. If it's 90% of their allocation it would be 19.8 so could be 19. However, they would need to look at this supervising of students before the first lesson and these 20 minutes on an afternoon. All of that time counts as contact time so would need adding on to what existing teachers are doing and on to what they are giving you.

@DollyMixtureLulus what kind of mask are you wearing? I've tried fabric ones on the supermarkets but I find them stifling.

www.tes.com/news/no-appeals-allowed-cag-gcse-teacher-assessed-grades

Did we know this? Sorry if I'm behind, avoided most tech today bar sisra.

All of that time counts as contact time so would need adding on to what existing teachers are doing and on to what they are giving you

That’s interesting.

Contact time for regular teachers is 1520 minutes a week.

The time I’ve been allocated is 1460 minutes a week.

90% of 1520 is 1368.

They’ve allocated me 152 minutes more than they should have.