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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Original poster

The 69th Staff Republic

392 replies

TheHoneyBadger · 18/12/2021 11:26

Just in time for the Christmas break. As it's the holidays we're allowed chairs and everything. I believe even buffets are permitted currently? No going to see Bond films though obviously.

Stolen from previous threads…
'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.

Do not give the staffroom password to non-staff as it attracts the wrong sort of crowd.

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 booze is stashed - Thirsty Tuesdays, Fizz Fridays now in operation.'

OP posts:
chocolateisavegetable · 05/01/2022 20:59

namechanged they have failed you. As MrsH said - they need to support you rather than make you feel like this.

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 05/01/2022 21:09

It's not your fault. A cohort hasn't 'failed' by January.

Appuskidu · 05/01/2022 21:23

It's all my fault my class are where they are. Ofsted will not be happy...its all my fault.

I do hope nobody actually said that to you at your data meeting-that’s dreadful.

Who is your mentor-can you go and speak to them tomorrow?

HarrietDVane · 05/01/2022 21:25

You're Y3 aren't you Name? Things always look bad at this point in the year in Y3. It was like this long before Covid was a thing, and the effect of Covid has exacerbated it for everyone, everywhere. The last time this Y3 had a normal year in school they were in Reception. They missed the crucial transition to more formal schooling in Y1 and their Y2 was also disrupted. There may be a tiny minority who are where they would always have been, but for most of them, the effect of lockdowns is plain to see.

Even if they're mostly keeping up academically (and most aren't), they are socially and emotionally behind - and this is impacting on their data outcomes. It's not a quick fix. It was never going to be a quick fix, and it absolutely is not your fault.

Your school is letting you down if they are not supporting you properly through your ECT. It is the school who is failing - not you.

Mistressiggi · 05/01/2022 21:30

So which numpty has made these claims Name and who made them god's gift to teaching

CallmeHendricks · 05/01/2022 21:44

What @HarrietDVane said!

YOU have not failed. This will be down to circumstances beyond your control.

DreamingofBrie · 06/01/2022 00:17

Just a big mug of Brew and support for you, @namechangedyetagain. I hope you've had a chance to reflect on what cannot possibly be down to you, tonight.

I know we've said it often but early years teaching career is hellish, and especially so if you don't have strong support around you. Hopefully you can get some decent sleep tonight - only two days till the weekend Flowers.

DenbyChina · 06/01/2022 15:33

@CallmeHendricks

What *@HarrietDVane* said!

YOU have not failed. This will be down to circumstances beyond your control.

Exactly this name. Sounds like they are choosing not to support you which is pretty awful of the school.
DollyMixtureLulus · 06/01/2022 17:16

Keep your chin up name. It's not you.

Ours have been very tired but actually quite placid. We have about 25% absence though, but I'm expecting that to change on Monday because close contacts under 18 don't need to isolate any more (I think).

Beachhuts90 · 06/01/2022 17:33

Hugs name. That doesn't sound like a fair meeting.

phlebasconsidered · 06/01/2022 17:48

Well, 2 days in and i'm 5 kids out with it and 4 with family members and siblings with it but in "with just a cold" anyway. And SATS are just as normal.

Name , every single year 2 or 3 teacher I know is reporting kids at reception level this year. The last year Year 3 kids had in full was year 1! This is NOT your problem, it's a school problem.

phlebasconsidered · 06/01/2022 17:50

Sorry, Reception! That was their last full year. I keep telling our trust that my 6's are essentially big Year 4's but it's not working.

OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow · 06/01/2022 18:08

Hi, can I join in to vent? I’m cover manager at my school, we are two days in and cover is out of control. 6 teachers off, bugger all supply around and the ones that are in normal times I wouldn’t have over the door step. Seriously, when parents complain about supply, I sympathise but lord, there’s some numpties out there. Teachers thinking it’s fine to do an lft at 8.30 and call in. I’ve covered 5 lessons out of 5 yesterday and today, so was there for an hour and a half to get things sorted after school. (I work set hours, no overtime). It’s unsustainable beyond a week.
Sorry to burden you with my woes. Oh and also expected to do classroom support in my “frees”.

MrsHamlet · 06/01/2022 18:09

It's all shit!

chocolateisavegetable · 06/01/2022 18:37

OhWhatFuckery Welcome! That does sound very, very shit. Do teachers actually get away with calling in at 8.30?! Is there no deadline for calling in sick at your school?

DollyMixtureLulus · 07/01/2022 18:10

Serves me right for wishing for snow- had the most treacherous drive to school this morning. Ended up abandoning the car and sliding for 20 minutes Shock

Appuskidu · 07/01/2022 18:39

Teachers thinking it’s fine to do an lft at 8.30 and call in

Wow-we have to report absence by 7.15!

OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow · 07/01/2022 20:43

@Appuskidu

Teachers thinking it’s fine to do an lft at 8.30 and call in

Wow-we have to report absence by 7.15!

7.30 for us, but anyone who knows me (and fears my wrath-do not piss off the woman who does cover) and has an ounce of sense, knows you ring in early. Today was grim. Took two of us (one slt)to sort out internal cover. Another totally useless supply teacher. Then-snow blocked the a66. And our carefully crafted cover fell to bits. Why I’m not drunk by now I do not know.
Mistressiggi · 07/01/2022 23:24

I suppose you might do an lft over breakfast basically, not expecting it to be positive, and then have to call in later than you would if you're actually sick.

namechangedyetagain · 08/01/2022 12:49

Sorry it's taken me 2 days to calm down! I don't feel as though im being supported. My mentor is dep head who i had the meeting with along with the head. So i can't exactly tell them how I'm feeling. I did once and I was pulled up for being "negative".

I asked my partner teacher to look at my books to see if she agreed with my judgement. She did. Definitely not expected level. However I've been pretty much told to fix the data by Tuesday.

I know im new. Perhaps naive, but how is fudging levels helpful? It makes you look great as a teacher perhaps but you're setting the children up to fail?

Am off out to day drink this afternoon and forget about the shitshow until Monday.

BitterTits · 08/01/2022 13:38

I think it's a bit unfair to be criticising teachers for reporting positive LFTs at the start of the school day. I couldn't do that because I leave the house by 7:15 for my commute, but I will definitely be reporting in the morning rather than the evening before if I test positive, because I know I'll be pressured to return to work whether I've recovered or not. If I can get an extra day of rest then I'll take it. There is no goodwill left for me.

Name if you can just keep going, it's job vacancy season coming up so at least you have a decent chance of starting afresh somewhere more supportive in September.

cornercupboard · 08/01/2022 16:18

There is no goodwill left for me

So true.
This week we had inset on Tuesday which we were told we all had to come into school for even though it was on zoom, and we aren't supposed to mix year groups. Firstly it was pointless - deputy head reading out a powerpoint - and secondly gaslighty twat head was "working from home". Warned on pain of death not to use staff room as getting covid is bad for the team dynamics. WTF. Yesterday more training, all TA staff must attend, but no cover arranged for 1:1 children or the class in which TA was covering teacher. Also no school laptops available or PCs with functioning speaker/microphone, one colleague used her phone! So a number of TAs just couldn't do training not that it was worth it in any case but that's not the point and yet again, gaslighty twat working from home. Gah.

Beachhuts90 · 08/01/2022 17:00

I know im new. Perhaps naive, but how is fudging levels helpful? It makes you look great as a teacher perhaps but you're setting the children up to fail?

I hear you. My head thinks a couple more of mine should be expected. The annoying thing is that I had put one of them as expected and my mentor vehemently disagreed so I changed it. I'm beginning to think that part of your teacher training is trying to figure out which conflicting advice to listen to when SLT or more senior colleagues disagree with each other.

thebookeatinggirl · 08/01/2022 17:17

Have most of you had new risk assessments done for the start of this term - taking into account Omicron is more transmissible?

We don't seem to be doing anything different... One form entry Primary. Had 30 people in a small Hall doing INSET training (most with masks on but that's it) then same 30 people all eating lunch in the same Hall without masks or social distancing. Staff Meetings in person as usual (in Hall so can socially distance), no PPA allowed at home, small staff room being used as normal (so 9-10 people in a small room without masks, often without windows open). Whole assemblies still happening, mixed year group teaching for phonics... And our local NHS Trust has declared critical incident as overwhelmed. Seems bonkers to me, but everyone just rolls their eyes when I open the staff room windows and Head denied request to do PPA at home.

cornercupboard · 08/01/2022 20:30

For teacher colleagues: is there anything in your teacher training about how best to use a TA in class? Debating this with TA colleagues following recent recruitment process of a teacher, where none of the candidates gave any "instructions" to the TA about how they should support during the lesson which was part of the interview process.