Hello all,
After seven years of working in independent sixth form colleges, where I always felt very much a valued colleague, I am currently working in my first ever secondary (independent) school. I am also HoD here, which is my first official HoD role too.
Prior to coming here, I was teaching year groups 10-13. Here, it has been years 7-13.
Things hadn’t been going well at all with year 7 at my school. This was largely down to a feeder-school issue. A few members of the Year 7 class came from a school where their science teacher stretched them so much that they had completed year 9. The other members of my year 7 class were at year 7 standard and were happily enjoying the course. But complaints from the parents of the year 7 students who had completed year 9 before were coming.
Making everyone happy at the same time proved very tough, especially with my being a novice to this yeargroup. I was met with recurrent complaints, especially from the parents of those year 7 students who had completed year 9 in their previous school and were thus needed no less than a year 10 course to adequately stretch them.
As if juggling seven year groups for the first time in my life wasn’t hard enough, along with HoD responsibilities, most of my prep time ended up being directed towards this year 7 class. It was so intense that this term, I was starting to abandon my prep and marking for my other classes. This then also got met with complaints. I also spoke to the school about how with my limited experience in teaching year 7, I might not be the best fit for teaching this yeargroup.
The school eventually took year 7 off me, in order to help me juggle my teaching load better. It also organised a mentor for me. I also have had issues with my HoF with whom I don’t get on at all. I made a complaint against him towards the end of last term (he admitted to me that he might be “prejudiced”), and ever since then, the school has tried to amplify my faults.
It is worth mentioning here that the data for all my year groups has been very positive; all my students have been making excellent progress, especially from where they were prior to me coming here.
The attitudes and interventions that management have made me subject to have also been a stark contrast to the 6 previous years I’ve worked in sixth form colleges. There I was celebrated, cherished and made to feel like I was a big help rather than a hindrance. My experiences at this school have chipped away at my confidence and I’m worried it is putting me off teaching altogether. I am losing energy, a sense of purpose and feeling incredibly demoralised. I know I absolutely have to get out.
I am wondering whether to voice these feelings of lowness with my school, which might though give them yet another stick to beat with me with, or should I keep quiet about it and just go along with the intervention meetings and all until I leave?
Thanks for your help