ECT2 Informal support plan

[Serena1977]

I am an ECT2, started in Sept after doing my ECT1 at another school as a maternity cover. ECT1 was fine, hard work but enjoyed it, things to reflect on and improve but nothing major.

Started my ECT2 and it's a tricky class with lots of SEN/behavioural issues and no TA. (except one child's 1:1) Right from my transition days in July I thought it wasn't a good fit for me.

Anyway, fast forward to December, I have my first term's review and it's a brilliant report and observation was great too, minor adjustment such as get them to write the learning objective before they come to the carpet not after, don't interchange add and plus, stick to one etc.

Once in November, I left the class for 5 minutes with a passing member of staff to have a breather because I was struggling with one particular child who has high behavioural needs. Then, again yesterday, I did the same at 3pm. I broke done in tears in the staffroom and everyone was lovely to me and said they know the individual is hard work but I'm doing a great job etc etc.

Today,

I have been told I am on an informal support plan and my request for another pair of hands has been turned down. Head said I need to get used to having a tricky class because they are in all schools.

He was vague about what my targets will be but said behaviour management of these few tricky children and mentioned English teaching and that I can't rely on my great maths teaching. I have been asking for training on their way of planning and teaching English for weeks but every time it's booked in, it gets cancelled. They haven't seen my teaching of English but have been looking at my planning and especially looking at my books and they aren't showing enough progress.

I have no idea how I will go back into work, and really put one foot in front of the other now.

He said "you have no confidence in your teaching or resilience in dealing with tricky children". I thought in my head, I certainly don't now.

Any advice going forward please?

I am in charge of ECTs.

Informal support should look like formal support - you should have specific targets to work on, and actual support to help you.

From your post it sounds like there are two distinct areas. I'd be writing you a very clear plan with outcomes to achieve and steps to get there, which would then be shared with you. Most importantly, we would be working together on it.

Do you have a mentor?

I have a mentor but they weren't involved in this conversation. I only seen my mentor once a fortnight and not really in between as they are in a different phase and therefore we have separate break times and meetings etc. I don't know if they now know or already knew. It was between me and the head. The head said I will have the deputy head in my class a lot doing team teaching and having a lot more observations.

I said I knew my behaviour management of the core of 4 or 5 children wasn't impactful and I didn't know what else to try and I hadn't been given any advice and I am waiting on the specific behaviour plans for these children but they hadn't come from the senco. But then the conversation changed to planning and actual teaching especially English etc.

Nothing has ever come up before and my report in December was glowing. I don't understand how it all changed in 9 school days.

I have to wait for more info next week. I have PPA tomorrow, we have a full day once a fortnight.

Your mentor needs to be involved.
The induction tutor needs to be involved.
You should be able to ask for additional support from the Appropriate Body.

Is the deputy head the induction tutor?

Your mentor and induction tutor should be involved.

I agree that going from a glowing report to a support plan in 9 days is pretty unusual.

I think it may be a good idea to speak to your union for advice.

I guess this has all been triggered by leaving the class with another member of staff at 3pm, but if that's the case, I think the head needs to deal with that incident individually if they are unhappy with it, rather than going down the route of a general support plan without involving your mentor etc.

You may also find that your union has a specific ECT rep. That's me too!

@Postapocalypticcowgirl Yes, the deputy is the induction tutor. They covered me while I had this appointment with the head which I thought was just a check in.

I should also add I was also in a lot of pain yesterday with my hands (arthritis) and I am at a tricky time of my cycle. I'm a mature ECT struggling with peri which is why I was tearful.

Do you think it matters that the head of the MAT saw me upset? They were very nice and said they would speak to the head and find out the background to the class.

Now I just feel that might be one factor in all of this.

If I want to be really cynical, I would suggest you've been put on a support plan because you asked for extra support. But maybe that's unfair.

It's possible the head of the MAT raised concerns about you. It's also possible the head of the MAT raised concerns about how the school were treating you, and the head has put you on a support plan in response- effectively punishing you because they were pulled up.

Or it could be for another reason.

It seems very sudden and IMO a support plan is not appropriate if no concerns have been raised prior to this. I would definitely want a rep with me in the meeting where the support plan was agreed.

Hmm it sounds as if the head of the MAT asked the head about you and what support you were getting. The head felt wrong footed and this is a knee jerk reaction.

However, you are where you are right now. Make sure you get clear targets and have the actual support you will be getting outlined. With regard to the SEN teaching I would be asking if a member of SLT or the SENCO can teach a lesson with your class so you can get a feel for how they want this group to be managed. You may spot some techniques that you haven't thought of or they may discover that it is actually quite tough and your request for an extra adult is actually quite reasonable.

This did jump out at me:
*
I am waiting on the specific behaviour plans for these children but they hadn't come from the senco*

Is it the school policy to wait for somebody else to write behaviour plans for children in your class? Just because children have SEND doesn't mean that you absolve all responsibility to the SENCO and if this reflects your attitude to the children in your class it might be explain the support plan. Ask for the SENCO to sit with you and help write them if you feel you need it but as their class teacher you have the responsibility for them and behaviour plans need to come from you.

Ultimately though if the school isn't a good fit then look around to move to something more suitable. Yes many have this level of behaviour but this school don't sound all that supportive and sound like they have a "put up and shut up" expectation around behaviour, which is never a good thing.

Good luck!

A support plan is entirely appropriate if it's for giving support. I'm running several at the moment - and they are all designed to meet the needs of the individuals concerned.

Personally, @Serena1977 , I would be trying to get in front of this. Ask when the meeting is to discuss it, and in that meeting, ask what they are going to do to help you with the things on it.

@MissMelanieH
the policy is to do them together with the senco (which keeps getting pushed back) and then they go to SLT for approval. I am waiting on 3, which are a various points of this process. Got 1 already approved and implemented.

Try to see this as a positive - you may get some help out of this on how to support the children, and you've said yourself that you need help with English planning. You are clearly doing really well in some areas, and less so in other areas, and the informal support plan reflects this.
The school should not be repeatedly cancelling meetings where you are going to gain that support. But you can't be walking out of classes at 3pm because they're getting to you. I can see why this has triggered the support.