Who do you think had the toughest job in your school?

[Puffypuffin]

Apart from you!😂

I think it's our Cover Supervisors. They are amazing and will literally turn their hand to anything and we are very lucky to have them. Their behaviour management is fab but god I don't envy them one bit because they never, ever seem to stop. I think our SLT expect a bit much from ours as they are left whichever lesson we would be teaching, so not babysitters, as I know they can be in some other places. The Cover Manager is superhuman and seems to just about do everything.

Also, our site manager. He's got a tough job for sure.

Actually, everyone come to think of it.

Yes definitely cover supervisors & cover manager!

Obviously everyone works super hard and all roles have their challenges.

For me though, I would say our deputy head who is the safeguarding lead. That is one job I absolutely could not do. We serve a challenging area so a lot of safeguarding issues. I truly do not know how she does it. She always looks so calm as well!

I absolutely could not cope with being a DSL. I think it takes a truly special person to do that one!

I'm a core HoD - love it but it is hard. We have a high teaching load at our school plus we have form groups so it is non stop! Yesterday, I taught all day, did break and lunch duty and then still had other stuff to do to keep my department running smoothly.

No, I couldn't be a DSL either, I would just find that so hard. Thank god for those who are able to shoulder that job.

I do agree with DSL, and also our DDSL who does a lot of the day to day work, especially with students with significant mental health needs etc- which must be so challenging.

I also think that our SENCo and assistant SENCo do an amazing job, with limited resources, trying to ensure everyone is supported and all needs are met. I think they end up often getting it from all sides- from parents who want additional support, teachers who feel overwhelmed, and probably students too! But it's not their fault it's so hard to get an ECHP or an autism diagnosis etc.

I feel for our Head of Maths right now- they are understaffed, and we have more GCSE resitters in our sixth form than expected, he's facing massive challenges with staffing, rooming etc. I guess it's a short term problem which will hopefully eventually be overcome (maybe even resolve itself in November?) but I know he's really stressed at the moment.

I also think our union reps do an amazing job- I know that's not an official school role, but I don't know how they find the time to fit in all that they do.

Definitely DSL. I just couldn't do that job.

I'm DSL and SENCO, so thanks for the sympathy!
The most frustrating role though is attendance. NOTHING I do makes any difference to attendance levels, if a parent wants to take a child out they will. So I have fruitless meetings, endless paperwork, local authority oversight, the lot! Even the LA has said there's nothing else I could be doing but it's still not good enough😭

(I hope your cover supervisors are paid more than the average then if they're being asked to teach nearly every lesson. Normally staff holding such posts are not supposed to!)

@spanieleyes are you secondary? I cannot believe those two roles are being performed by one person. Why are you also responsible for attendance?

I'm primary- Head of School, DSL, SENCO, attendance and teaching and learning!

Going to buck the trend here. I really admire TAs who work one to one with children who are in mainstream but really would thrive more in a special school (not enough special school places here). If you're working with a pre or non verbal child who needs lots of care and who is also an absconding risk and a fast runner it is an intense and often lonely job.

@Philandbill

I agree, at least I can shut my office door and scream loudly, 1:1 TAs can't and are paid a pittance too.

I don't know but I would doubt it to be honest @JanglyBeads . I'm quite friendly with one of them and she was telling me that they don't get paid much more than TAs. They do 25 lessons a week too.

Oh our TAs are saints.

DSL - I could not do that job for all the money in the world.

Also Heads of Year, they work stupidly long hours for not that much extra IMO, I don’t know how they juggle it all!

@spanieleyes Are you one form entry?! That's insane!

@JanglyBeads Cover supervisors aren't usually QTS. In London they're on about 30k a year.

@JanglyBeads
https://www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy/cover-supervisor-intern-n9-9tn-1905249

Actually, not even 30k

@Foxesandsquirrels
Two.
It does keep me busy!

@spanieleyes how many DDSLs do you have?

That was kind of my point?

@JanglyBeads Idk what your point was, you said you hope they get paid more. I just showed you they don't. They get paid a pittance.

There is a DDSL, just in case I'm unavailable, but the responsibility for CP/CIN/TAC meetings, referrals, reporting, follow up etc is my role.

@Puffypuffin in the OP said that their Cover Sup's actually teach lessons bc they literally fill in for the absent staff member.

I was pointing out that they shouldn't be if they're paid normal cover supervisor rates.

Sorry if I wasn't clear @spanieleyes

Sorry, I mean @Foxesandsquirrels

@JanglyBeads ohhhhh I get you now. Yea, I think quite a few kids in my DDs old secondary had the cover supervisor as their maths teacher last year.