NQT? Small mistakes constantly magnified?

[worried23xxx]

Im an NQT in secondary school.

My lessons have been going well I got really good feedback on my first lesson but SLT always see my mistakes and what goes well is unrecognised.

I had awful year 9s and I sent one out and the headteacher was there watching it all unfold.
I let a class go early by accident an SLT member was going past.

I forgot to do the register SLT was CCed in and a reminder for everyone to make sure they do it was mentioned in a staff briefing later that day.

Every small mistake I make SLT witnesses or will hear about probably and I’m tired of it. Nobody is walking past when my lesson is going well. I put so much effort in and and it doesn’t come across like that because of these mistakes. I feel really defeated and I’m on a temporary 1 year contract and feel confident it won’t be renewed because I’m coming across like I don’t know what I’m doing.

Any advice please?

I don't know the circumstances around sending the Year 9 pupil out, but releasing a class early and forgetting to do the register are actually, potentially quite serious and I'd be appalled if a school overlooked either.

Of course they'll notice, and tell you, that's the nature of the training year - you're still learning.

IME taking it on the chin, owning your mistakes and accepting constructive criticism go a long way. Minimising incidents or blaming others is more likely to lead to a contract not being renewed.

Have you got your own classroom? If so, post-it note on your computer with lesson start-end times. I have been at my current school 4 years and it’s now in the front cover of my planner cos we are moving around!

Everyone forgets a register every now and then. Yes, it’s serious but most teachers will have done it at some point. Routine is everything. Have a starter activity ready so they naturally quieten and you can do your register whilst they complete it.

You might be surprised by how much what is going well is being noticed. Unfortunately, teaching isn't the sort of job where you get regular pats on the back.

By the time they are making decisions about renewing contracts, forgetting the register once will be long forgotten!

It happens to us all. If you're going to stay in teaching you do have to accept that SLT will appear precisely at the moment you don't want them to. They are never there when they all have their heads done and are working away quietly!

Try not to take things personally. You were probably not the only one to forget the register. Everyone misses it occasionally. Just smile, apologise and get yourself into a good routine in future.

All three of the incidents you mention come more or less under safeguarding, so you do need to be careful... but everyone makes mistakes and you just have to move on from them.
In my experience, SLT generally know a lot more than people think!
I can also vouch for the fact that there's very little praise on offer in schools regardless of whether you're an NQT or more experienced. It doesn't mean no one has noticed you're doing a decent job.
Have you discussed these things with your mentor and induction tutor?

Easily done to get class times wrong or forget to take registers, but these are school dealbreakers and have to be addressed. It’s nothing personal but there these are just things that teachers have to get right. It will all iron out very quickly once you’re in a routine, as PPs said.
As for the sending out, it depends. Some schools have systems for removing pupils - you might have been following school policy in front of SLT!

You also need to consider that perhaps this is happening to other teachers, not just you. You can just learn from each mistake and try not to do it again. They’re not out to get you.
On the other hand, you could be in an awful school with bullying SLT.