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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.

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Original poster

Help me deal with this SLT person

23 replies

Cocopops2020 · 10/09/2020 17:49

I’m new to school. SLT Person is relatively new too, she seems to be on some sort of power trip.

I emailed her about cover today, as in how many lessons we will be expected to roughly cover a week. She wrote me a lengthy reply back CC’ing headteacher! She accused me of involving several people in school and asking them and I should come straight to her if I “feel things are unfair!”

I literally asked 2 experienced members of staff in passing today as I was coming into school if they know how many lessons we roughly will cover, that’s it! I didn’t ask anything else or complain I simply asked them if they knew the number, then I emailed SLT Person who arranges cover as they were unsure too

I’ve been reading and reading her email all day today in absolute shock! I feel belittled by her and totally caught off guard. I spoke to the 2 members of staff and explained what she told me and even they were shocked because they apparently just asked the number on “my behalf”.

Should I be cautious of these 2 staff members who might be shi@ stirrers or should I be wary of this SLT person?

Apologies if my post doesn’t make sense. I’m absolutely shaking with anger/confusion/total loss of words.

I don’t want to spend my year being wary of everyone and too scared to ask questions!

OP posts:

noblegiraffe · 10/09/2020 18:05

Were you asking because you think they've been taking the piss with cover?

That sounds like the assumption that she's made.

Original poster

Cocopops2020 · 10/09/2020 18:07

No I was asking so I can be prepared. She accused me of if all sorts on email which I don’t want to post as will be identifiable. She mentioned the two member of staff by name and told me I should have come directly to her.

In past I would have ignored it but I love the school and don’t want things to turn into issues.

OP posts:

CraftyGin · 10/09/2020 18:08

To be the Devil's Advocate, no one knows how much cover to expect as this is not a typical year. There is no history to go on. If teachers are in and out because of Test and Trace, there will be more lessons that need to be covered.

I am a teacher in the independent sector, so have no concept of rarely covering.

Original poster

Cocopops2020 · 10/09/2020 18:10

@CraftyGin she could have just said this rather than CC headteacher and speaking to me like I’m a naughty kid. How would u react - ignore or raise this into an issue?

OP posts:

noblegiraffe · 10/09/2020 18:11

Hmm depending on what the accusations are you might want to talk to e.g. your line manager to mediate.

Or you could reply saying simply 'I was asking to inform my planning, thank you for the info' and cc in the head.

CraftyGin · 10/09/2020 18:17

Do not raise an issue!

Get to know people better. You are new, and she is new. She may be extremely stressed with the start of the new year, and it might come across that you are whinging a little, if she has heard from a couple of other teachers.

I think, deep down, your question was insensitive, given COVID.

I am not SLT, btw.

Original poster

Cocopops2020 · 10/09/2020 18:22

Crafty I don’t feel knowing what my weekly PPA time will be as being insensitive! I need to plan how much time I will have to do my planning and marking. I feel your comment is insensitive, I need time to do my prep for lessons too.

OP posts:

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 10/09/2020 18:28

Are you the cover teacher or are you asking about you being covered?

I would personally be quite wary of the SLT member and the two members of staff you spoke to. You don’t know if they changed the tone or content of your question.

CraftyGin · 10/09/2020 18:29

Then the right person to go to is your mentor or line manager.

Going to SLT seems a bit aggressive, unless you were having a friendly chat and this came up.

Can't you plan your lessons in a cover lesson (maybe 60% of it)?

I honestly think if you go in all guns blazing about PPA etc, you will be marked, and even more so if you raise a complaint.

Are you a NQT?

Original poster

Cocopops2020 · 10/09/2020 18:31

I basically tried finding out how many free lessons will be used for cover a week. I didn’t, and still don’t think it was an inappropriate question. Surely i need to know how much planning time I have!

OP posts:

Original poster

Cocopops2020 · 10/09/2020 18:33

Crafty I was told to ask slt person as she arranged cover! The 2 members of staff said “best person to ask is....”. There were no guns blazing it was one sentence asking roughly how many frees will be used for cover!

Gosh I sometimes think I’m living in twilight world lol! It wasn’t an issue and no guns were blazing.

OP posts:

Original poster

Cocopops2020 · 10/09/2020 18:34

I’m even more confused now about the situation after posting here!

OP posts:

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 10/09/2020 18:38

In primary, 10% time is given as PPA. That’s an afternoon a week essentially. I’m assuming secondary is the same amount of time (happy to be corrected) but I don’t know if it’s all in one chunk because obviously you don’t just have one class.

I’m confused why the two people you asked didn’t know unless you are part time or something.

Hercwasonaroll · 10/09/2020 19:04

PPA time cannot be used for cover. PPA time is protected. This is 10% of your teaching time and usually rounded up to the nearest hour. For example my place it's 3 hours a week for a FT teacher. You may have other free periods but they aren't PPA.

Anything not coded as PPA can be used for cover.

It's a strange thing to email SLT about to be honest.

CraftyGin · 10/09/2020 19:33

@Cocopops2020

So, if you are in a state school, your PPA is 10%. Now you know.

CraftyGin · 10/09/2020 19:35

@Cocopops2020

Gosh I sometimes think I’m living in twilight world lol! It wasn’t an issue and no guns were blazing.

I am getting the impression that you are hard work.

Subordinateclause · 10/09/2020 20:17

Seems like a reasonable question to me!

ValancyRedfern · 10/09/2020 20:31

OP it sounds like a perfectly reasonable request to me. Of course the sensible person to ask about cover is the SLT member responsible for cover. I really don't see the issue. She has reacted badly which I suspect is because teachers who organise cover do get a lot of grief and moans and I imagine she saw that in your email even if it wasn't there. I wouldn't raise it as an issue though. Just chalk it down to experience and in future always ask questions through your line manager.

How strong is the union at your school. We are nearly all NEU and pushed for rarely cover and succeeded. It's great!

ValancyRedfern · 10/09/2020 20:33

Try and put it out of your mind and relax tonight. I don't think your card is marked or any such scare-mongering. You probably touched a nerve and got an ott reaction from a stressed new SLT.

Original poster

Cocopops2020 · 10/09/2020 20:48

She’s quite abrupt generally I think that’s her personality. Only known her for less than 2 weeks so hard to pin point. I was posting for advice on how to deal with her really. I know I did nothing wrong as I’m not a new teacher so finding out which free is actually protected is not anything out of ordinary, it’s just being organised so I can plan future meetings etc at this period. She’s nasty to people in general. I just need advice on how to handle her and not lose my mind and stress out. I can see her nature as being that of a bullying one.

OP posts:

Original poster

Cocopops2020 · 10/09/2020 20:50

@ValancyRedfern good advice! I shouldn’t be sat her thinking of her! Thank you. I will switch off now and tackle how to deal with future incidents when I’m calm. I think best thing is to minimise my conversations with her. Not to ask her anything at all.

OP posts:

Hercwasonaroll · 10/09/2020 20:57

I think you'd have been better wording it as "which of these periods are PPA so I can schedule meetings?". Sounds like she thought you were trying to not have cover.

CraftyGin · 10/09/2020 21:06

When I worked in a state school many years ago, I remember PPA periods being added to our timetables after a timetable cycle (2 weeks). I had no idea what they meant, of course.

PPA periods are more the responsibility of the timetabler, who may not be on SLT. The priority at the beginning of the school year is to have lessons, sets and rooms right. PPA periods are really low on the priority list in the first week.

The OP's initial question about how many cover lessons are pretty easy to work out with a general understanding of how schools work.

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