Informal support

[anatasia]

I passed an informal support plan three years ago. My head suddenly called me into her office and told me she was removing my year 13 group six months ago. She had previously shouted at me in front of students twice. I had a mediation meeting where she lied and denied everything. She also told me she wanted me to do another support plan. Her excuse was that my exam groups have been failing for years. My performance management was signed off for those years. What on earth should I do? Am so tired.and extremely anxious. Have been signed off for the last four months.

Look for a new job? Get your union rep to agree a reference with the head.

There are obviously other routes you could go down, but she clearly has it in for you, so to me it seems better to try to find something new for September.

Thank you for replying. I think I've got no choice but to leave. I've been there for fifteen years so it's very sad. I just don't trust the head to treat me fairly. Others have left in similar circumstances. It's horrible.

This sounds very wrong. You need to speak to your union and explain all of this to them and get advice imo.

What did she shout at you about in front of students?

Leave. With a head like that you aren't going to get anywhere and nothing is going to get any better. If she's shouted at you, I'd report her to the governors or the MAT. I wish I'd reported my old head at the time but I was just glad to have found somewhere better. There are better schools and nicer heads out there - these bullies are part of the reason the teaching profession is in such a mess.

The issue with judging teacher performance on results is that the kids are only with us a few hours a week and their results are precisely that 'theirs'. Results can vary widely from year to year with all sorts of factors needing to be taken into account. Last year I had 100% 9-5 pass rate - lovely small group who worked well and had very few external issues. Four years ago I had a 40% pass rate - the kids were terrible as a group, lots of behavioural issues, family problems, general apathy. I haven't changed what I'm doing - it's down to the mix of kids in front of you. Fortunately I work in a school now where all but the head of data (who just sees numbers) understand this.

I just feel exhausted by it all. Union had been great but I have no proof so it's just my word against hers. She told me to shut up in front of a class for example. Staff are scared but there is no means of holding this woman to account.

There is but it takes courage and ideally more than one of you willing to speak to give it more credibility.

Also I think she said she shouted at you in front of A level group? Do you think if asked for witness statements they would remember and be honest about what was said? You actually have a lot of witnesses.

The problem is that particular group have now left school. I don't think my colleagues would support me. I can understand they would be frightened especially in this economic climate.

We are our own worst enemies though sometimes. There does seem to be an awful lot of bullying, emotional blackmail and guilt tripping as management practices in schools. It's definitely one of the factors driving retainment issues.

I'm dealing with a business manager currently who thinks that reasonable adjustments for disability are 'special treatment' and 'not fair on other staff or the school'. Arrogant enough to say it in absence review meeting and say it so many words in email communications. They're so used to guilt tripping and emotional blackmail as day to day way of dealing with staff that I suspect they forget that in official procedures they need to at least pretend to be more professional and follow legislation.

Couldn't agree more. I'm really sorry to hear that about the business manager.- that's awful

It is and it's incredibly short sighted as is your heads treatment of her staff given the climate. It's going to be increasingly easy for teachers to jump ship and go elsewhere or, as a colleague of mine did last year, just walk out mid term leaving them still advertising her role unsuccessfully for the next three terms.

They seem to be masters of cutting of there own nose in some schools.