Anyone else dreading Monday :(

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I can’t believe the holidays are coming to an end already and I’m spending the past week of it moping around wishing it away! I’ve always been a bit ‘meh’ about the lovely holidays, but it’s getting to the point that I’m spending my holidays miserable waiting for term-time, so they aren’t even the amazing ‘perk’ they used to be!

I was trying to think what would actually make things better in schools, and really only scrapping Ofsted and the shite that is associated with it (the workload and accountability for a teacher in a small primary can be massive) would actually make a difference.

There’s been talk of PPA at home in the news, but ours is in the middle of the day, so that’s never going to happen. It just feels such an inflexible job, so high stakes (ofsted, observations etc), so micromanaged-even with a decent boss, and so relentless.

Anyone else feeling like this-I can’t see a way out of it.

I'm having mixed feelings to be honest.

I'm a secondary HoD (core subject) and we will have Ofsted this year- I/we are prepared, had a mockstead last academic year which went well, but the pressure I am feeling is immense 😔
I don't know how primaries cope - particularly those who lead a subject as a non specialist.

I have a new line manager who was (recently) an Ofsted inspector and I'm dreading that because I feel it will just be like a constant mockstead 🙄

That said, I do enjoy the job itself. I love teaching, thinking about curriculum and discuss teaching and learning with my team.
I am mentoring an ECT which I really enjoy.

But the pressure, intensity and constant hamster wheel feeling are tough!

OP, I feel for you. Would you consider moving to another school or setting, perhaps where the pressures are better mitigated and managed?

I wouldn't say I'm dreading Monday but I am feeling pretty anxious. Starting a new job and have very little info. so far so really can't plan or prepare anything (already started a thread on this, apologies for repeating.) I love being well prepared and curiosity about the unknown has always been huge for me and turns into anxiety, insomnia, etc.

I was bullied in my old job and am desperate to make a positive start.

However I need to have an operation on the penultimate day of INSET (5 days so I will miss the last 2 then I hope recover over the weekend in time to come back for the first day of term.) I really didn't want to start my new job like this, being absent, being ill, asking for time off... Also haven't yet received the INSET timetable so not sure what exactly we will be doing and how I can get ahead / catch up the 5 days during the first 3 to be ready for the students.

So I am really excited but also worried and nervous. I wish Monday morning were now.

Not really dreading it to be fair - been in the sector for long enough now! I’m on my retirement countdown anyway!
I’m starting a new school requested by the CEO of the academy trust to lead a turnaround programme in a historically failing school.

Although the academic year begins on 1st September. I’ve been in work in my new school every day apart from weekends since coming back from my hols!
I’ve had several meetings already - with the CEO of the trust, governing body and my deputies and assistant heads setting agendas to hit the ground running from September!
It’s gonna be a long year - can guarantee my annual salary that the school will be undergoing an OFSTED inspection.

I'm not looking forward to it really.
This will be my 29th year of teaching and I'm definitely coming to the end of enjoying my job.

I now work 4 days, we get PPA at home if we want so I'm only in school for 3.5 days as I always plan from home.

I've also decided not to have a class this year (I teach in primary) so I'm covering PPA, interventions and management time for 3 members of staff. This means no reports, no parents evening (although I will be about) no class data to be responsible for, limited interaction with parents.

I tried a class share last year and I was fed up of being dictated to and micromanaged by my class share colleague.

I'm looking forward to stepping back a bit and looking towards retirement in the next 2-3 years.

Dreading it. I’m a senco (secondary) and last year was horrific. Headteacher’s mantra of ‘mainstream school, mainstream rules’ permeates the entire culture. I enjoy teaching but senco in this environment is practically impossible when our level of need has increased so significantly. I get a knot in my stomach as my emails are loading. Young, ambitious slt don’t make it easier. I think I’m out of this school now and back to the classroom ☹️

That class share situation must have been incredibly wearing. Hard to bite one’s tongue after a while.

@All3DogsandMe it really was. She was also very much younger than me, VERY enthusiastic and full of great ideas (some better than others).

Endless emails at 5.30am when she could've just spoken to me in school, interfering on my teaching days and just being at different points in our careers meant it wasn't a good fit.

She's a lovely person but hard to work with. I realised that I had started teaching the year she was born.

I have already ‘made the move’ to another school a few years back to see if it was teaching or that school, so I think I know it’s the job itself. I also actually feel like my management are much better than a lot of others I hear of.

I want to leave but feel trapped because of the salary now, I think. The Exit the classroom and thrive Facebook page talks about generating several income streams and doing x hours of tutoring a week alongside supply or the like, but I think I would find supply (last minute, not knowing the school/systems, behaviour etc etc) stressful and doing tutoring in the evenings/Saturdays really doesn’t work around having kids. Walking out on the pension worries me too.

Would you consider being a cover superviser in one school?

Your Head sounds vile or unbelievably stupid or both. That can't be a nice culture for anyone. I'm sure as SENCO you will be a lifeline for some of the students (not that that's a reason to continue slogging uphill in a thankless job.)

Young, ambitious SLT...might not last?

As a primary senco, going to be a cover supervisor in a secondary school, would be rather outside my skill set and obviously a massive cut in salary.

I could, but I don’t think it would be a good fit for me.

Sorry that was a silly idea from me.

Do primary schools not tend to have cover supervisors? I can't believe I didn't know that.

Schools generally use TAs now to cover PPA and often absence as well. It’s pretty much minimum wage though.

HT’s pretty unpleasant tbh. Has been super effective in raising academic outcomes so can do no wrong in the eyes of governors etc.
I’m pretty done with trying to reach compromises within that culture for my kids now however. I’ve sent 3 emails already today just saying how things must be next year for some of the children with SEN (politely) and it was liberating. A little bit of ice has entered my heart now and I don’t care what SLT think any more as I’ve one foot out the door. I owe the adults nothing.
I don’t want to leave the children and their families because I know how important the support is to them but I have to prioritise my own kids and loved ones as well as my mental health! The department’s in a better state than when I arrived so when they find someone who’s a better fit culturally it’ll be a pleasure to run.
I'm sad others are in this position on this thread but it’s comforting to know we’re not alone. Similar to Life After Teaching.

I’m dreading it too, moved schools at Easter and just don’t like my new school. Behaviour is very good on the whole and results are strong. But the kids are cold and dower (not like my old school at all) the staff are standoffish, they’ve all been there forever and loads were pupils there so it feels very insular. They talk about it being a ‘team’ but it def doesn’t feel like that. Plus it’s far away so the commute is horrible. I moved to go back full-time and I’m a head of department so fewer jobs come up. This one is in an excellent school so I went for it. But I’m not sure how long I can stay for, but it looks terrible to move so soon so I’ll have to stick it out for a few years at least. I just want to cry when I think about going in tomorrow.

TA here and not looking forward to it. I takes me ages to get back into the swing and I'm in full throws of menopause, which really isn't helping! 🙈

Hope everyone is making the most of the day doing happy things and keeping holiday mode until the last minute.

I saw this on Twitter earlier which actually gave me a bit of hope for the future, but it seems to have been deleted now, so presume it wasn’t actually true :(

If only!!

I know!

@All3DogsandMe I'm a SENCO too and what you wrote about "mainstream school, mainstream rules" is the crux of why my job is so impossible too. I too am looking at my options and possible ways out. Most people I know are doing the same, sadly.

I was but it turned out to be alright!

@TortolaParadise me too!

I was so nervous about going back but I have had a nice few days, although extremely busy!

First two were INSET so lots of meetings/information and time with my dept getting started for the year.

Today was just Y7 in and they were with form tutors for the day so I was largely supporting, plus had the first proper meeting with my ECT1 which was nice.

I have my form tomorrow - looking forward to seeing them and also checking in with my most vulnerable ones.

Then teaching Friday - will be good to get into some science again!

Happy to hear that you are having a positive start to the term and school year. Long may it last @PumpkinPie2016 .