Illness & Ofsted - would you go in feeling like death?

[Hfduvtgn]

I think I've got flu.
We're due an inspection imminently.
I'm just a standard teacher, no responsibilities.
I'm in bed, aching, nauseous, coughing feel like I'm dying...
If I'm still the same next week and Ofsted call should I go in?
I'd risk an accident driving there for starters but should I let them decide to send me home? I'd be utterly shit in the classroom. I'd let the kids get away with practically everything but murder whilst I nursed lemsip throughout the day ...

Just bumping

You can't know that OFSTED will be in this week. If you're sick, stay off until you're well. If OFSTED call and you're off sick, you're off sick. School may pressure you to come in. At that point, you will have to make a judgment call.

@JanetandJohn500 that's what I mean...IF/SHOULD they call... what should I decide to do? Is it better to go in and be the shittest teacher ever but at least they can see I'm trying... or not at all? The way I feel it'd take all my energy to stick my middle finger up at them if I saw them.

If they call, and you're off with flu, you don't know because you'll be off with flu.

Why would you expect school to “send you home”? If you’re well enough to go in and teach well then go in, but if you’re not then call in sick. Don’t go in if you can’t do your job.

It’s not for school leadership to make a call on whether someone is well enough to be in. You decide if you’re well enough and self certify your absence if you aren’t. There’s nothing worse than people who drag themselves into work when they should clearly have stayed home and then spend the day dropping heavy hints to try to get themselves “sent” home.

@MadameMinimes do you work in education or have you?

Personally I would do pretty much anything to be there for Ofsted. Obviously if I were dying or a limb hanging off that would be different but if I felt I could dose myself up and power through I would.

But that’s me and my specific context - we’re a small school, cover would be a nightmare, I have additional responsibilities that would be important in terms of the inspection.

Your situation & context may well be different.

i hope you feel better very soon

If you have flu and are off worksick, you are off sick.

Yes. I’m a senior leader in a school. We’d only want people to come into school for Ofsted if they can function well. If they dragged themselves in when they were actually too ill to teach we can’t “send” them home (it’s for the employee not the employer to judge whether they are well enough for work) and Ofsted aren’t going to make any significant judgements about a class with a supply that day.

@MadameMinimes wonderful thank you. In my previous career, leadership would have suggested going home with a thank you but no thank you, stay only if you feel you can as it were. Teaching is very different I'm finding, almost in it's own reality. Teaching doesn't seem to operate by the same rules as the private sector!

Think you're over worrying, you can't know that Ofsted are going to turn up this week, just look after yourself OP!

Just take one day at a time. Are you well enough to go in tomorrow? Yes? Go. No? Don’t.

Then judge Tuesday… etc.

Don’t go in on the off chance OFSTED might appear, and don’t expect someone else to make the decision for you.

I hope you feel better soon.

I've worked in Education for 32 years and agree with everything @MadameMinimes said!

Brilliant thanks

Hopefully you have taken yesterday and today off. If they are coming tomorrow the call will come at lunchtime today and if tomorrow lunchtime passes without a call then you are in the clear until half term. You risk making yourself even more unwell by fretting about something that may not transpire.