Sacked - well contract not renewed

alice's_mum

Hi guys, just had my job appraisal this afternoon, just standard thing in school ( I work as school secretary 15 hours a week), Governors pay review meeting is next week, been there since January and was on a year long temporary contract - but always told this was just a formallity and job would be continued.

Went into Heads office quite happy thinking things are fine, have had no adverse feedback from him or direct line manager, he's even been "dangling a carrot" of more hours and taking on control of school website this last half term.

He then spent 1 hour telling me that - staff are scared of me and deliberately don't deal with me but wait for my boss to be there (who) he wouldn't say.(I can't think of any staff I haven't done something for unless it was something I couldn't do and they had to wait for my boss). He dragged up things from April and February which show I'm so bad at the job. And then just said the contract will not be renewed. And that he'd have tothink carefully about what sort of reference he gave me. He then went to say I'm really good at my job:mad: and can take on more responsibility and am really proactive with things for the school and have had some really good ideas.

My boss (line manager) was completely gobsmacked - she'd just had her review and he hadn't had the courtesty to discuss this with her. She was devastated. Unfortunately she was due out this PM and I had said I'd cover - not being paid but could have the time back. She went and told him I needed to go home, I was definately not the person he wanted on the front desk today - I was very red eyed and cried at the slightest thing!!! He said I had to stay as I had said I would and I needed to be professional about this.

I am just in shock. I have phoned my union (unison) and sobbed onto their ansaphone, so need to try again tomorrow when I can speak clearly. I know there's nothing that can be done coz of the temp contract, but can he do this without any previous discussions, formal warnings.

In January what am I entitled to claim? Obviously need to get onto WTC people and remove my hours. What else can I do.

Any help gratefully received.


Oh by the way all the teachers I have told are shocked and can't understand what he is talking about. They all rekcon I 've upset his "PET" in someway.

alice's_mum

Any one?????

C_Ronaldo

sign up for JSA
id also say speak to cab but thats a guess

not sure what else to say except hope you sort something out,

sure someone will be along soon who can advise you more than me

Savvy_Sue

ACAS website might be helpful until you can actually talk to someone about this. But I don't know where you stand with a contract not being renewed (but it really was unprofessional of HIM not to alert your LM!)

alice's_mum

Thank guys - what I didn't say is that I have been with this Council since Feb 05, and have moved schools from a maternity cover contract to this one, so I have 18 months continuous service does this make any difference? I'm up it's 6.30am and I have been making notes on what he said to me yesterday while it's clearer. Have emailed the Union Rep direct. Will see what happens now. What really P's me off is that I have to go in between now and Christmas and be the person on the desk - when I'm soooo crap at it!!!

adouglasmhor

He can't give you a bad reference or him and the trust would be liable and if he doesn't know this he is incompetent. I am sure the union rep will be able to back you up on this.

Bossyboots

Either you have upset his "pet" or they can't afford you and this is their way of easing you out. The other alternative is that he has someone else in mind for the job.

He sounds just like the headteacher at our local primary school and the way to deal with him is to fight him at his own game. Speak to your union but my choice of action would be to ask one of the school governors to meet with you to discuss it. You are going to have to choose carefully. Many of them will be in his pocket. Are you close to another member of staff or the staff govenor rep would even be a good idea as long as they are not "in" with the head. Often, there will be one or two parent govenors at odds with the head and other govenors. Make sure they don't have their own agenda, but you need someone to report this formally to and ask them to investigate.

I have worked in schools, been on PTAs and my OH has been a parent govenor and chair of govenors so I have seen how these things work from all sides and with all sorts of personalities. Taking your post at face value, there is more to this than meets the eye. A similar thing happened at the primary school when we were heavily involved in helping there and it was to my OH the teacher came. The upshot was that the headteacher was put back in his box and in fact his reputation never recovered from his "mistake". He was lucky the teacher was not spiteful and that her new employer was someone who already knew her and still gave her the job, otherwise he would have found himself on the wrong end of court proceedings.

Many headteachers have egos bigger than their abilities. Take this over his head. The only problem is, regardless of any complaint or investigation i would think it is going to be impossible to work with him now anyway.

alice's_mum

Taking your post at face value, there is more to this than meets the eye.

Sorry don't know what you mean by this, what I've listed is exactly what happened, I've had no adverse remarks from him or my line manager and as I said he spent some of the "appraisal" telling me how good I am at my job. I went into this yesterday, expecting to ask about Courses and possibly more hours and came out with nothing. I did consider speaking to one of the governors, but as you say they are all mates together. The staff governor is only new to that position and is in a difficult situation so wouln't want to make them rock the boat. The teachers Union have been involved lots with this head in the last 4 years - about 6 staff have left since it started, both office staff resigned at once last year. The staff I have spoken to are all "Anti" the head - and therefore seen as trouble makers, they have all had the union in to him at some point, one still have a griveance going thru. I'm going to speak to the Union today and speak to my local Councillor as I think my 18 months continuous service must count for something. A number of parents recently left due to the head and the governors went mad, hopefully some of them can go mad for me. Just need to find the right ones.

And they can afford the post and my line manager said he'd better arrange interviews straight away or I'm out of here- so the job is not going away, and I don't think he's got anyone lined up for the job.

Bamber19

I think by "there is more to this than meets the eye" the poster means that the Headteacher isn't being entirely honest with you and there may be another reason...like, for example, the suggestion from other teachers that you may have upset his "pet"

Claudie

Hi Alice's Mum

You must be so upset - big hugs and chin up.

At some schools the governors may not be objective but at our school we have always found the governors to be fair as well as criticial and constructive. Personally I would draft a letter to the Staffing Committee and send it to the Head of that Committee with a copy to the Chair of Governors as well as the Head.

Try to keep your letter objective - outline the lenghth of your contract - note the good things you have done and what your own Manager has said concerning more hours and permanent contract. Then ask if the role is not being carried on why not and ask for confirmation of what the Head has said. The letter will then need to be addressed by the full staffing committee and you should have an objective reply.

Keep copies of all your documents and stay positive, as hard as this may be! If you haven't done anything to be ashamed of then don't give them any reason now to look for fault. That may be easier said than done but stay professional and I really hope you get to the bottom of it - as another poster said, it does seem perhaps that the Head has a different agenda in the background.

Good luck and if you are really happy there and think you would like to stay - stay positive and do your best.

liney

Or, he is saying that you are good at your job, ie the administration and practical tasks, but there is a clash of personality. The persons who 'dont know what hes talking about' may just be trying to avoid you until you leave. I don't want to sound mean, but some people do have an abrupt manner without intending to.

If you are on a temporary contract then they have no obligation to extend it, and could give you notice to leave before it is finished.