Anyone else in a school with awful behaviour?

[Windflower92]

Looking for a bit of solidarity after a particularly awful day! I've just come back off maternity leave, and with covid lockdowns as well I don't know a lot of the pupils in KS3, so it's a bit hard at the moment. My school is in a very 'rough' area, parents very unsupportive generally, and it's always been pretty bad. But since I got back it's a million times worse! Kids wandering the corridors constantly, coming into lessons and then refusing to leave until someone comes to collect them, then spending the rest of the lesson running away from them. Then the bell goes and it starts again. I've been called a cunt, twat and a slag today, but I don't think anything has been done as that's just standard. Kids ignore SLT and they seem like they've given up and are burying their heads in the sand. We do have an IE where kids go after two warnings, but it's just a game to them now and the teachers down there aren't strict enough and they don't care about going to their detentions anyway. The kids are completely untouchable and they know it! The atmosphere is completely hostile at the moment, and it feels like all the teachers are giving up battling the behaviour, me included.

We've got a new headteacher starting in September, but can I really expect any change when this behaviour is just so ingrained in the culture of the school? We are an all-through school, so primary pupils are copying this behaviour already, so no hope for a fresh start with the new year 7s ever!

Thank you for reading my rant, I need to leave but I've missed the deadline for this year so will be looking asap!

Bar the name-calling, this was my last UK school in 2005.

I went to Australia:o a bit drastic and not a ready solution. A school will always be in trouble when SLT abandon the discipline. Discipline went down the pan with the arrival of a new HT who, I was happy to note later, left in ignominious circumstances.

I hope the incoming HT proves to be a good one, but I'd be looking for a new job. I can see that that being an all-through school means there's no "fresh start" at year 7. A Herculean labour to turn this one round.

Good luck, Windflower92

I was beginning to think it was just me! I will definitely be looking for a new job either way, I don't think the behaviour can be improved that much. It would be nice to go to work and not worry about what's going to be thrown at me for once!

Look for a new job. Been there and it only gets worse

You haven't missed the deadline for resignations yet! It's 31st May. A few more days left.

Yeah, I do. I’ve been called the same names before. I’m not as experienced as you probably are but I just had to give up decided to get out before it gets worse.

. We are not believed by SLT and above when students are in the wrong. No one can say anything to the kids because they can just rant at us and talk however they see fit. The HT will believe what the kids say because otherwise the exclusion rate would be too high so the kids could say “sir shouted at me and I just sat there and never said eff off” and the head will accept it and sir in question will probably be told the detention was deleted and the student has been released because they haven’t done anything or the student forgot what they said so of course that’s fine. I’ve been verbally abused so many times and told I’m a “fucking slag piss off im not doing your detention” and nothing happens. Maybe at stretch a detention if the head of year pushes. but according to our policy it’s not just a detention and should be much worse of a sanction. But all that happens is sod all. So most people have given up

I would say, do what’s best for you. Some people love the challenge, I however think being sworn at or being on a near daily basis is too much and tiring

I'd get out and find a new school. If slt have given up things will only get worse.

I did like the challenge a few years ago when it seemed a bit tamer. At the moment this is just hostile and crazy. I will probably leave in the next year, but I need to stay for a couple of months as I took the full year off for maternity leave, as you can imagine! So at least one more term of this...I find it amazing to hear about other schools where something 'small' is completely unacceptable and teachers are listened to. I wonder what that feels like!

On the plus side, I didn't get sworn AT today!

I think schools like that could be good if SLT back staff 100% but if they don’t it’s just a big issue. Because you’re fighting a losing battle.

One thing I learnt is that everyone’s replaceable and regardless of how long you’ve been somewhere everything keeps moving and the school will get by and be just fine.

So do what makes you happy! I wish you lots of luck☺️

We have two P7 pupils and three in P6 who basically strut around the school out of class or opt into classes when it's something they like. They take up a massive amount of SLT time while they have restorative conversations with them which do no good. Parts of the school are no-go areas when they're in full disruptive flow, throwing furniture etc so classes can't get to the hall for PE or assembly. They know nothing can be done about them and it's only going to escalate. We feel the whole school is being held to ransom by this group of pupils. No end in sight to it either.

I'll just do a back in the day moment. In about 1980-1, a pupil was expelled, yes expelled for telling me to fuck off.

In my last UK school, when a pupil was out of order, I had to hand in all my lesson plans to see if I had "failed to engage".

I do. I get verbally abused at least 30
times a day. Today I was told to “fuck off and suck my nuts you thick cunt.” By a 10 year old. For asking them to please write the date and have it underlined by the time I come back around the room.
We have children walking off when they’re asked to do something they don’t want to do. We have children that leave the school premises and one was actually taken in by a stranger after being found jumping their garden fence (had run off after they had punched someone and realised they might have to have a restorative conversation and miss 10 minutes of lunch) - it took 45 minutes and 5 members of staff to resolve this and get them back to school.
It’s constant, it’s not going to change any time soon with our SLT.
I’m leaving in July and have got a new job in a completely different field and it can’t come soon enough. I’m a broken woman.

Oh wow @TheChosenTwo that sounds bad! I was told to 'fuck off you stupid cunt' today by an 11 year old so I feel your pain! But it was the only bad one today so I guess that's a good day. Good you've got a new job, that must give you hope!