Topic: The Teachers' Thread

[CraigDS]

The rest are quite lucky to be honest.

Yeah possibly. Her head apologised last year a few times for the lack of time she had so not sure if it’s their school policy to try and give more.

[androulla]

Happy summer holidays to everyone who has finished for their break today... only three more working days to go for me : )

[Mutton Geoff]

It will be a bit strange for me to not go back in September for the first Inset days, it wont feel like i have actually retired till then.

[UntouchableLuis]

It will be a bit strange for me to not go back in September for the first Inset days, it wont feel like i have actually retired till then.

Enjoy! A few retired at my place (private school) who have been at the school a good 25-30 years! Must be an odd feeling to finally call it a day. Couldn't last that long if I was still in the state sector - only just lasted 4 and a half years and very nearly quit teaching all together.

[TepidT2O]

I currently think I’d have no problem.

But I reckon I’d miss the optimism and verve of young people.

Still... it would be nice to find out

[CornerFlag]

Was meant to say, passed last year and didn't go into it in the end.  Applied for a couple of jobs and got one interview which I obviously didn't get.  So I'm here after a year out and knowing the mental health problems I had through my training year I still have the urge to go back to it, probably after Summer 2020.  Anyone know what sort of experience I should look to get if I'm going to start re-applying in the New Year?  Got a second kid now so time is even more limited, but, I dunno, it's like the ex you keep going back to!

[TepidT2O]

Why don’t you just do some supply work to get experience?

[TepidT2O]

And to be honest you did Physics didn’t you?

You could probably walk into a full time job right now at many schools.

[UntouchableLuis]

Everyone back tomorrow? 2 Inset days for me to ease my way back into the chaos.

[TepidT2O]

As always I’m profoundly depressed about going back...

I’ll get over it in a week or so

[UntouchableLuis]

As always I’m profoundly depressed about going back...

I’ll get over it in a week or so

That's it - after a week you're back in the swing of it - hate just feeling unprepared at this stage - shit load of photocopying and exercise book finding in the next few days - seating plans etc

[TheKid.]

Monday and Tuesday off then an inset on Wednesday

[rob1966]

As always I’m profoundly depressed about going back...

I’ll get over it in a week or so

Whereas us parents are glad to be rid of the kids again

[TheKid.]

Nothing against you Rob, but I fucking hate seeing people on Facebook saying that every September.  Like having to look after their own kids is some kind of hardship or horrible time. Certainly explains how some of their kids have turned out though

[CraigDS]

Whereas us parents are glad to be rid of the kids again

Where as us partners of teachers are glad to be rid of them again

[rob1966]

Nothing against you Rob, but I fucking hate seeing people on Facebook saying that every September.  Like having to look after their own kids is some kind of hardship or horrible time. Certainly explains how some of their kids have turned out though

Its not a horrible time, but it is very hard for working families and in the UK, Kids holidays are sadly a chance for someone to fleece parents. This day and age most families need two working adults, I get 25 days holiday, same as the wife, we take the kids away on family holidays, so we cannot cover the 13 weeks the kids get off each year. She adjusted her working time when we had our eldest so she leaves for work at half 6, finishes at 12:45 so she could go get him from her Ma's and then nursery. Holidays he went to Holiday club. When we were putting the two of them in, it was costing us £56 PER MORNING, per day. I take loads of half day holidays during summer to spend time with the lads, so I'm awake at 6, run about with them and go in to for for 1:45PM. Usually meant I then didn't have any proper holidays/rest for 6 or 7 months.

It has gotten easier now as her brother lives next door and works from home, his missus retired at 47, so the kids stay in the house and they keep an eye on them, so the wife gets up at 5, I get up at 6 and work til 8, sort the kids out, then go into the office for 10 and she gets home at 11:30.

We chose to have kids, so we just get on with it, but fuck its tough at times.

[TheKid.]

Oh yeah, no doubt for working parents it’s hard both physically (entertaining them all day seven days a week sometimes) and financially paying for childcare rather than the free stuff we give you during the school year

And you think that holiday companies fleece parents, imagine being a teacher who can’t pull their kids out of school during term time for a better deal

I’m starting my role as head of year in earnest this year so I’m looking forward to properly getting stuck into that; more than the actual ‘teaching’ part. Pastoral is definitely more my thing than curriculum

[UntouchableLuis]

Its not a horrible time, but it is very hard for working families and in the UK, Kids holidays are sadly a chance for someone to fleece parents. This day and age most families need two working adults, I get 25 days holiday, same as the wife, we take the kids away on family holidays, so we cannot cover the 13 weeks the kids get off each year. She adjusted her working time when we had our eldest so she leaves for work at half 6, finishes at 12:45 so she could go get him from her Ma's and then nursery. Holidays he went to Holiday club. When we were putting the two of them in, it was costing us £56 PER MORNING, per day. I take loads of half day holidays during summer to spend time with the lads, so I'm awake at 6, run about with them and go in to for for 1:45PM. Usually meant I then didn't have any proper holidays/rest for 6 or 7 months.

It has gotten easier now as her brother lives next door and works from home, his missus retired at 47, so the kids stay in the house and they keep an eye on them, so the wife gets up at 5, I get up at 6 and work til 8, sort the kids out, then go into the office for 10 and she gets home at 11:30.

We chose to have kids, so we just get on with it, but fuck its tough at times.

I don't have kids myself but know from people I work with how tough it is financially now. As you say paying for care over the holidays must be tough and then when they get older it's finding things to do all summer at a reasonable price - not helped by holidays being 200 odd quid plus more expensive during these times.

[TepidT2O]

As a teacher who is a parent it can be financially tough even without childcare.

But I love every moment of the time I have with my children. I just find it so odd when People don’t.

[TheKid.]

Was kind of the point I was getting at Tepid. We haven’t been away this summer but I’ve spend so much quality time with my seven year old it’s been amazing. But then I don’t have to have the headache of thinking of childcare so am very lucky there

[rob1966]

As a teacher who is a parent it can be financially tough even without childcare.

But I love every moment of the time I have with my children. I just find it so odd when People don’t.

Was kind of the point I was getting at Tepid. We haven’t been away this summer but I’ve spend so much quality time with my seven year old it’s been amazing. But then I don’t have to have the headache of thinking of childcare so am very lucky there

One of my ex's was/is a teacher, last I heard she was head of English. She loved teaching kids but never wanted them, which I found strange.

I'm the same as you two, I love being with my kids, I love having them about - my Dad was a selfish bastard, I suppose being a Dad at 18 didn't help - who was always off doing Karate, so I make sure I see as much of my kids as I can. I've been taking them to Nursery/school for 9 years now and that is time I have loved. We hear all this people don't have enough kids and that the demographics are changing, but the government do nothing to help. I've spoken to people in Tenerife and Spain and their childcare is so cheap.

Big week for my eldest, he starts at the local Grammar School on Wednesday, should be fun. I'm jealous of him as it looks wonderful, far better than Ruffwood in 1978

[TepidT2O]

Bloody hell

Watched a prevent video today.... one of the extremists sounded like they might be primeminister next week...

[kesey]

For any of you primary teachers what do you reckon of the attainment rates of this school ?

72% of kids are up to the national standard of reading , writing etc.


https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/local-news/mosspits-lane-primary-school-6488282

[BobPaisley3]

If any of the RAWK teaching collective fancy a change.

https://www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy/academy-education-manager-liverpool-1241536?utm_campaign=17092019_daily&utm_source=job-alert&utm_content=job&userId=2547879&utm_medium=email

[rakey_lfc]

Ofsted in today and tomorrow! Had my meeting with them today, they gave me quite a quizzing but think I left them feeling fulfilled.

I did manage to knock over her cup of tea which went over my EHCP folder

[UntouchableLuis]

Ofsted in today and tomorrow! Had my meeting with them today, they gave me quite a quizzing but think I left them feeling fulfilled.

I did manage to knock over her cup of tea which went over my EHCP folder

Good luck mate- glad I don't have to face that O word again in the independent sector! Haven't they got a hard on for curriculum design at the minute? Endless curriculum spreadsheets being designed all year I'm sure...

[rakey_lfc]

Good luck mate- glad I don't have to face that O word again in the independent sector! Haven't they got a hard on for curriculum design at the minute? Endless curriculum spreadsheets being designed all year I'm sure...

They have, we're a new school (two years open) and have just implemented a new curriculum so we're not going to get a decent outcome at the moment. It's split into intent, implementation and impact. We haven't had time to impact the success of the new curriculum. We've got indicators but no raw data to prove it.

My first as an SLT member and I've actually enjoyed doing it. Shattered now though.

[TepidT2O]

They have, we're a new school (two years open) and have just implemented a new curriculum so we're not going to get a decent outcome at the moment. It's split into intent, implementation and impact. We haven't had time to impact the success of the new curriculum. We've got indicators but no raw data to prove it.

My first as an SLT member and I've actually enjoyed doing it. Shattered now though.

The impact should be more about the skills, knowledge and destinations you want kids to achieve (and these should lead to good academic outcomes in theory)... don’t fixate on raw numbers at this stage.  Think about what you want to able to see when you go into classrooms as a guide...


This is my area of shit!

[Roughie Scouse]

Ofsted in today and tomorrow! Had my meeting with them today, they gave me quite a quizzing but think I left them feeling fulfilled.

I did manage to knock over her cup of tea which went over my EHCP folder

Did they look at your in-house data?

Did they look at lesson planning?

[TepidT2O]

Did they look at your in-house data?

Did they look at lesson planning?

They won’t look at the first unless you expressly insist and even then it’s unlikely.

[CraigDS]

My missus us expecting an inspection this year, which will be her first. It’s been quite long for her school since the last, I think 13 years, and they got a new head 12 months ago so they’re all expecting it to happen at some point this year.

[TepidT2O]

My missus us expecting an inspection this year, which will be her first. It’s been quite long for her school since the last, I think 13 years, and they got a new head 12 months ago so they’re all expecting it to happen at some point this year.

Nah

I don’t see it.

That’s the head worrying about it. It’s unlikely to happen until the rules change . Which hasn’t happened yet

[Roughie Scouse]

Nah

I don’t see it.

That’s the head worrying about it. It’s unlikely to happen until the rules change . Which hasn’t happened yet

If it’s been 13 years the school must be sitting on an outstanding. They are no longer except and so a subject to a visit, is my understanding

[CraigDS]

If it’s been 13 years the school must be sitting on an outstanding. They are no longer except and so a subject to a visit, is my understanding

Yeah, that was her thoughts as the school was rated outstanding last time out.

[TepidT2O]

I’d be very surprised if it happens this year.

Lack of exemption hasn’t yet been approve

[rakey_lfc]

Did they look at your in-house data?

Did they look at lesson planning?

They didn't go in depth in data. For example, when we said things like behaviour/attendance has improved they just asked us to back it up with evidence.

They didn't look specifically at lessons plans, they did ask the same question to all staff along the lines of "what information do you use to inform your planning?" Which is where I staff then shared the data folders we keep to explain.

This was my first at SLT level and I have to say it was no where near as harrowing as the horror stories you hear. Both inspectors were friendly and approachable at anytime. Very poker faced and gave nothing away but they worked with us and gave us time to produce any information we didn't have to hand.

[rakey_lfc]

The impact should be more about the skills, knowledge and destinations you want kids to achieve (and these should lead to good academic outcomes in theory)... don’t fixate on raw numbers at this stage.  Think about what you want to able to see when you go into classrooms as a guide...


This is my area of shit!

You're right, we have a two year plan for curriculum. But currently ours is only built for this year, she picked up on the lack of sequencing through the terms and key stages. Luckily, this isn't my area!

[TepidT2O]

You're right, we have a two year plan for curriculum. But currently ours is only built for this year, she picked up on the lack of sequencing through the terms and key stages. Luckily, this isn't my area!

I have got us sequenced to buggery.  Our T&L policy even has it as a core part of it.

Interesting to hear your feedback on ‘what informed your planning though’.  Any other tidbits?  You’re a rare thing having been inspected under the new framework!

[rakey_lfc]

I have got us sequenced to buggery.  Our T&L policy even has it as a core part of it.

Interesting to hear your feedback on ‘what informed your planning though’.  Any other tidbits?  You’re a rare thing having been inspected under the new framework!

Being a Social, Emotional Mental Health provision we have a number on part time timetables. They asked if we'd considered the risk of them not being in school as part of our risk assessment. She basically said we needed an extra box on our risk assessments. The other part to this was what were we doing to increase their time back to full time and reviewing in every half term. We review every term and she said that wasn't enough. Don't know if this applies to your provision.
 
They were very hot on Safeguarding in particular first day calling. They arrived before students arrived and were out in the car park gathering parents thoughts.

The inspectors themselves were very laid back and were willing to work with us and I was able to go back in after one meeting and ask a question/offer suggestions.

The way the report is written is different now too. So the SLT of the school finds out straight away the grading's, strengths and areas to improve of each section. The report is now written in "parent speak" and geared specifically to the parents.

[CraigDS]

Quick question for the teachers in here...

How many extra frees do your Head of Years get over a standard teacher? Mentioned in here previously about my gf being a HoY and her frees are now pretty identical (she gets 1 hour extra over 2 weeks) to the target number of frees the school aims to give a standard teacher and they've decided to add in some extra work this week which will pretty much take the entirety of that up so they're all kicking off. Just wanted to see what other schools give so she could compare!