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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.

How to do this without making a big deal

10 replies

Witchcraftandhokum · 28/09/2020 18:52

I'm middle management in a school. I don't get a lunch break as it's an expected part of my job that we do lunch time duty (now doubled as we're doing staggered lunches due to Covid. As I'm pastoral staff my yearly salary is pro-rata'd to term time only. I get paid term time plus 2 weeks, the extra 2 weeks is to cover every lunch time I work plus 7 parents evening a year so it doesn't even work out to minimum wage let alone match my salary. Up until now we have been able to get a free meal as I work what would be my lunch break. This is usually a sandwich, bottle of water and a piece of fruit, eaten standing up as I'm also supervising students. Rarely I'll pick up something extra like a doughnut or biscuit if I feel I need a sugar rush but as I say rarely.

Due to the extra staff needed because of the staggered lunches teachers are being asked to volunteer and are given a free luch as 'compensation'.

Today I have been told I need to register my thumb print to get my lunch. I don't know if we are limited to a certain amount. The thing is the head teacher tends to make snippy remarks about what I'm (and the other women in my role eat) as well as things like the way we dress, make up etc. and I'm just not comfortable with him being able to track what we eat. I also feel that if he wants to argue with me about a biscuit when I didn't volunteer for this he can fuck right off.

I absolutely don't want to give him more ammunition and I'm prepared (although not happy) to just not register my thumb print and bring my own lunch in. We also have one of the strictest dress codes of any school I've worked in, I can't dye my hair the colour I want it, or have my upper ear piercing replaced. He also had a go at me for wearing trainers during lockdown, even though I explained all of my work shoes needed re-heeling and there were no cobblers open. I just feel that this is another part of me that has to become public property and don't want to do it. How do I explain this without making a scene?

OP posts:
Callardandbowser · 28/09/2020 19:41

You need to leave that job and that psycho in your past!

Witchcraftandhokum · 28/09/2020 20:15

I wish, but there are no jobs around at the momenr

OP posts:
echt · 28/09/2020 21:53

He's such a control freak that anything you do will be a big deal If the food is coming from the canteen then it will need to be accounted for so the thumbprint is probably not unreasonable.

Bring your own lunch and say nothing.

The other stuff is quite different. Does he single women out for the food commentary? I'd keep a record of his comments about food and appearance as he appears to have overstepped professional boundaries and doesn't sound like he'll stop anytime soon.

Long term, another job.

Witchcraftandhokum · 03/10/2020 19:11

They haven't made us register our thumbprint yet so I'm still having lunches. Yesterday as I took a biscuit the head appeared over my shoulder and said "I hope that didn't take you over your £2.20 limit" I told him I'd just had a salad and now the biscuit, at which point he said "oh, are you're hoping the salad makes up for the biscuit

OP posts:
sakura06 · 03/10/2020 21:08

Gosh, he's being deeply inappropriate with his comments.

Are these lunch duties part of your contract? Do you get a break at any point? A break of 20 minutes per day is a legal requirement.

I'd be reluctant to give up your free lunch. You've earned it! I can understand why you're considering it though.

Witchcraftandhokum · 03/10/2020 21:14

They're not written in to my contract. We are just put on rotas. No we don't get a break.

OP posts:
echt · 03/10/2020 21:20

Are you an independent school/academy? If not, then you are entitled to a free meal for a lunch duty.

Everyone is entitled to a minimum of a 20 minute break no matter what their position, it's just that for senior managers who teach less, that break will be either side of the school-wide lunch time.

He's not going to stop, is he?

echt · 03/10/2020 21:28

If you are not in a state school, then your breaks must be written into your contract.

ThunderThighs123 · 04/10/2020 09:05

Sounds like your Head is attempting to seem cordial, while also reinforcing his authority over all his staff. Foot in mouth and badly judged.

Agree leave ASAP if and when possible.

Take comfort from the real possibility that he’ll be dealing with high staff absence and / or an exodus as soon as restrictions are lifted.

Karma will bite him!

sakura06 · 05/10/2020 07:39

Are you in a union? If so, seek their help. You must have a 20 minute break at some point in your day. If you're not in a union you could contact ACAS for advice on how to approach this. Good luck.

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