The Sixty-Second Republic - Pop da pop pop, the beat don't stop until the break of term

[StaffRepFeistyClub]

You are most welcome to this school staff support thread to get us through stressful times. It is meant for school staff only – a sort of room of requirement for school staff to let off steam.

Baiters, haters, goaders, and bashers can jog on somewhere else.

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

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Ah yes... the person we don't trust with able gcse and who will never get a level gets the top group in year 9 to "make up for it".
Someone then spends two years trying to make up for it.

Thing with bottom sets is that there's no way of hiding from kids that they're not very good at something compared to their classmates.

Think of all the people who say that school PE put them off exercise for life. Or who were scarred by coming last at Sports Day. I still remember spending ages drawing a picture of my hand for art homework and getting a shit mark for it because despite my efforts, it wasn't very good.

We have a habit of putting the least qualified person in the bottom sets

It’s madness, and seems to be so common. It’s so awful for those who really want to learn. I’ve had some really lovely bottom sets in my time - though the sudden arrival of a problem child (or two!) can potentially wreck months of productive training and positive relationship building.

@noblegiraffe

Thing with bottom sets is that there's no way of hiding from kids that they're not very good at something compared to their classmates.

Think of all the people who say that school PE put them off exercise for life. Or who were scarred by coming last at Sports Day. I still remember spending ages drawing a picture of my hand for art homework and getting a shit mark for it because despite my efforts, it wasn't very good.

I agree with that. I was crap at sport and art, so hated those lessons. Fortunately, as an adult, I have never needed to provide a GCSE certificate in either of those subjects and I can avoid them as I please. Unfortunately for the kids who aren't very good at maths or English, loads of jobs ask you to produce a GCSE certificate in those subjects. So even if you aren't very good at it, and you hate it, you still have to do them, and then keep trying as an apprentice or at college. It must be completely demoralizing.

When I was hod I always taught the bottom sets, which were nearly always all boys. I vividly remember chasing one boy down the stairs to stop him going to tell the head what he thought of him after he'd got himself in bother. I loved that class :)

I always think the weakest kids need the best teacher... but what do I know?!

Our head of English teaches phonics in KS2. Lowest attaining kids with highest qualified and interested member of staff, at the point when we're in panic mode for them. How it should be I think.

I once had a 'level 3' year 6 class of 18 naughty boys. I loved that class too. Little shits they were. Haha. Bad boys of the estate now I bet.

I've said this before in here but give me naughty boys over bitchy girls any day!
Love 'em!

I've got plenty I can send your way Ange. One realised that he lives on the same street as my parents the other day and knows my son and is suddenly my best mate regaling me with tales of how much he prefers IE to lessons and how the only time he doesn't like it is when MR X or Miss Y is in there but if you get Mr P or G it's a good laugh. Most of the other kids looked shocked - I didn't - I think ds quite likes iso too and reckons he gets loads of work done in peace.

By the way ds didn't make a water bomb, as confirmed by cctv, but they feel he should have left the bathroom sooner so still want to punish him It's like they've decided to make him hate school as much as humanly possible. They appreciate 'he did the right thing and left' but feel he should have left sooner

WTF honey. I wouldn't make him sit the detention.

I've said obviously it's not my decision but I'm not happy at the idea of him being punished without having actually done anything. Haven't heard back but seriously? Punishing a child for being present when others were doing something and choosing not to do it himself and walking away? Gtf.

By the way ds didn't make a water bomb, as confirmed by cctv, but they feel he should have left the bathroom sooner so still want to punish him confused It's like they've decided to make him hate school as much as humanly possible. They appreciate 'he did the right thing and left' but feel he should have left sooner

I think I'd be pushing for no detention as well, Honey. Given cctv evidence your ds was not doing what his crime was meant to be. Are the others being punished?

I'd be furious at that Honey, what a terrible lesson to teach all of them.

I agree and I doubt a 1hr40 detention would be issued at our place for even making a water bomb. Well, I know for a fact it wouldn't.

I really feel for the kids who struggle with academia.

I can only imagine how shit my behaviour would have been if 90% of my schooling involved art class.
Going to school and just feeling like you are failing everyday must be utterly demoralising.

honey that is definitely overkill for a child who just witnessed someone making a waterbomb. It's ridiculous!!

Thing with bottom sets is that there's no way of hiding from kids that they're not very good at something compared to their classmates.

A head of year was talking to my Y6 class the other week and said she didn't like to use top/middle/bottom because no-one is ever really at the bottom. Instead, she called them:

• children who work quicker,
• children who finish in regular time, and
• children who need a bit longer to finish.

I thought it was terribly patronising if I'm honest.

Help! Had 2nd jab yesterday. Have fever this morning, blocked nose and itchy throat. There are covid cases in my school. Do I need to pcr or just take this to be vaccine side effect? Did lft yesterday - negative. Just done another now and waiting.

Those aren't particularly prevalent vaccine side effects so, yes, PCR...

I think if you are so averse to the 'stigma' of setting that you have to think up euphemism then you don't set! Year 6 kids aren't stupid : they look around them and see what is going on!

Our year 9s are bamboozled by mixed ability groups!

@Piggywaspushed

Those aren't particularly prevalent vaccine side effects so, yes, PCR...

Yup

Pcr done. Think it is probably a mix of side effects plus ds's cold that we got a negative pcr for about 10 days ago but better safe than sorry. Good luck supply teacher- you will need it!

Fingers crossed squashed.

Hopefully just that then, squashed. Good luck.

at good luck supply teacher. Think you've done the right thing testing.

Yes it's an awful lesson to teach him - hmm might as well just join in in future seeing as I get punished anyway. Bizarre. Haven't heard back so hoping they've dropped it.

3 weeks to go!