have a query - any teachers or headteachers able to help?

balletshoes

meritaten wrote: »

The rules do seem to be a confused dont they? rather like me!
Mrs A told my mum that she expects to be off work for months to see her OH through his treatment. I should think that she has told the school this?
yes, GS is in nursery - he is four but with an october birthday so just missed out on being in reception.
You all really want to see the curriculum the parents got for the nursery kids today - in my view it needs a qualified teacher to oversee that.
3D representations of shapes?
writing about family pets
chinese culture and writing chinese symbols
thats only three of about 50 or more 'goals' for the class!
I aint sure whether the curriculum is totally daft - or given the right teacher the kids would love it! confused again!
the school confuses matters even more by integrating 'rising threes' into nursery! not sure what that means!
I think that if the nursery group is working to a curriculum - then they SHOULD have a qualifed teacher - NOT a Teaching Assistant - in charge.

if it helps, my daughter did all of that and more at nursery before starting her reception year at school, and there was no teacher in her class, it was nursery nurses and assistants only.

If you're not happy about Mrs B's attitude to your GS, and have concerns regarding the difference in standards of behaviour etc in the classroom between Mrs A and Mrs B, go see the head of Early Years at your school.

dizziblonde

kingfisherblue wrote: »

Occasionally, unqualified teachers take classes - most schools don't employ them, but it is possible.

As for TAs, there are different levels and level 4 TAs (also known as HLTAs) can plan for and take classes - although they should not take the place of a teacher in the longer term.

Schools, like everyone else, have budget restraints and supply teachers are expensive - they receive a higher daily rate of pay as ordinarily they do not get sick pay or holiday pay (longer term supply can be employed at a lower rate and receive these benefits though).

I think I would be asking if my child was happy and if he was learning. I would possibly contact the school to find out what their long term plans are. Mrs A might not have told the school that she plans on being absent from work for a greater length of time.

Addressing the supply misconceptions.

Its actually incredibly common now - schools are taking the pee over the rules left, right and centre (regs are that cover supervisors can be used to supervise - not actually teach - ie we're into hand over worksheet and stop them killing each other territory for the first three days of absence)... instead we have CS planning and teaching entire subjects, covering for terms at a time - and the qualifications vary so wildly - from those who are supplies press-ganged into working for CS wages in order to pay the rent, to those wanting to get into teaching, to some who, well....

The pay thing's a very outdated pre-conception as well now. Back in the days when LEAs ran their own supply lists, yes, we got paid our main-scale wage, split over teaching days - as a daily rate. 99.9% of LEAs have long-since closed or abolished their supply lists as the agencies have moved in - and we sure as heck ain't getting paid anywhere NEAR to scale - the agencies take a huge cut, and, while I was happy with what I was getting as a daily rate - the new Agency Workers' Regulations have thrown all of it a bit into a state of "what the hell do we do now"-flux... we also have at least one agency openly advertising to schools to pay supplies what they feel like and if they get fined under the AWR regs - the agency will pick up the fine.

I was a supply teacher for many years, and was flipping excellent at it - and I managed to weather the initial barrage of cover supervisors coming in when many didn't... agencies rapidly wised up and started offering "supply cover supervisors" (basically anything with a warm pulse they could shove in a booking) and bullying (and yes, that's the word for what was happening) their teachers into essentially an overnight halving of their rate to get any bookings at all. I managed to weather that based on my reputation, skills and good standing with the schools - but this year I've acquired a delightful new agent who doesn't seem to understand my polite refusal to work for free - literally, lots and lots of phonecalls with bookings, followed by an "oh this is a free trial morning so we won't be paying you" and no actual paid bookings - and at the end of the month, I'm throwing in the towel altogether.

Let's also address the other one before it rears its head - most supplies I know of do the job because they love the work with the kids, but have family/caring committments meaning they've taken time out of the profession or need the flexibility it provides. Yet they're consistently tarred with the brush of being the "failures" - and many are so flipping good I'm in awe of them. I did it because my health was no longer good enough to work full-time in teaching personally - and in many ways it's a much tougher job day-to-day than full-time teaching (although without the barrage of paperwork and planning) - you don't have the established status within the school, you don't know names, in many places you go you feel set up to fail - you're not told that assembly on the second Friday of the month is at 3pm and not the 10am on the timetable and you're blasted in front of the class for not knowing it... it's not the easy time people make it out to be.

Sorry - just thought I'd re-dress the balance in the rose-tinted "oh supply's good money" view being put aside - as a way of earning a living - it's dead in the water (I've made, and I'm not making a secret of it, after tax and deductions, a grand total of £140 since September).

pmlindyloo

As a retired teacher I have to agree that the use of TAs is being abused in many school and yes, it's all down to money.

Since you now have some information from people on here, I would be inclined to make an appointment to see the Head Teacher and ask some questions. There is no need to go in with 'guns blazing' (!) just find out what arrangements the school has made to cover the class teacher's absence, what qualifications are needed to teach your child and what qualifications Mrs B has. Also, you could bring up any concerns you may have if your child is unhappy.

It would be interesting to find out because if the absent teacher is a qualified teacher then it would seem sensible to replace like with like.

At the moment you seem to have only secondhand information about all this. The Head Teacher should be happy to answer your questions and stop you from worrying. Your child's education should be his/her first priority.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

At the DDs' Primary, every single TA was an ex Primary Teacher who just didn't want the hassle of their old job whilst bringing up small children of their own. Probably good from one point of view, bad from the poor so and sos who were qualified to be TAs, but were outranked by the women applying who also had QTS.


And Childminders work to a curriculum these days. That curriculum in itself doesn't need a teacher, just someone competent with children - such as a Nursery Nurse, Nanny or Childminder. You could do it yourself if you/mum wanted to.

make_me_wise

meritaten wrote: »

The reason I am really concerned? because when Mrs A was there GS loved school and couldnt wait to get there. since Mrs B has been 'in charge' he has been in trouble, he says that he doesnt like her - I pick him up and I have issues with her too - I seem to wear a 'cloak of invisibility' doesnt matter how near her I stand - she ALWAYS calls my GS near to last to come out. she stopped GS having break with the other kids cos he accidentally knocked over his friends milk and she made him have his milk and biscuits on the floor - for a week! HE ISNT A BLUDDY DOG! his mum hit the roof over that!
she also didnt give him an important form to fill in to register for next year - and claimed she did. I ALWAYS give every letter etc to his parents after I pick him up and so does his other nan.
I find the woman totally unprofessional - and my poor GS is starting to get reluctant to go to school.
my DIL relies on me and her mum to take and pick up GS - its only rarely that she can do so herself - I dont want to be unfair to the woman and was wondering if my dislike of her was colouring my view of whether she is QUALIFIED to teach the class.

I think some of the incidents you mention above about this woman, dont show her in a good light professionally. I am a year 3 teacher, though currently on maternity leave, and must say I was somewhat surprised by a few of the subjects you mentioned on the nursery curriculum. To finish on a positive note, some of the best teachers I have ever worked with can come across as having little or no people skills with adults, and yet are fantastic with kids.

Madmel

Agree with Jojo; in my school, the cover supervisor is a well-qualified and experienced teacher, who retired as Head of Department and got bored :eek: I worked with her for a year in a different school, then a couple of years ago she came to my current school. It is really good to know that if you are on a course or ill, there is a professional there to follow your lesson plan.

I think if the OP's grandson is unhappy, that's what would worry me more. Surely if Mrs A if off, there must be another adult around. Can the OP talk to this person, or failing that, the Head?

thegirlintheattic

dizziblonde wrote: »

Yet they're consistently tarred with the brush of being the "failures" - and many are so flipping good I'm in awe of them. I did it because my health was no longer good enough to work full-time in teaching personally - and in many ways it's a much tougher job day-to-day than full-time teaching (although without the barrage of paperwork and planning) - you don't have the established status within the school, you don't know names, in many places you go you feel set up to fail - you're not told that assembly on the second Friday of the month is at 3pm and not the 10am on the timetable and you're blasted in front of the class for not knowing it... it's not the easy time people make it out to be.

Fully agree with this, even when I cover extra lessons at the school I teach at it's bloody hard with kids you don't know, in a room you don't know, teaching stuff you don't know. I'm in awe of any supply who goes into a completely new school and does it day in day out.

meritaten

Thank you all for your replies - its much appreciated!
I AM a bit concerned that my dislike of the teacher is colouring my thoughts on this - I have been asking myself ALL day if I would feel the same if it was another TA! and yes I would.

believe it or not my GDs aged 8 and at a different school are doing the exact same curriculum! I helped them with it this afternoon! they had virtually the same letters home lol!

My DIL will bring DGS up tomorrow and I think I will ask her to have a chat with the Senior Teacher in reception - I know she is taking him on Thursday as she is off work. In regards to Mrs Bs qualifications. Mum may well be correct and she is a former teacher who has returned as a TA.
I will deal with 'the cloak of invisibility' issue myself and in my own way.
Thanks all!

teacherandmum

this sort of thing really annoys me.

If you have a problem, see the head for clarification.

HRV

I believe that a nursery has to have qualified teacher input- that does not mean they teach it- as others have said they may be planning it. having said that the ratios for nursery aged children should be adhered to- so if 1 adut is away they should be a replacement

A TA is a very confusing term- this can range from unqualified- Level 4 (level 4 doesnt automatically mena an HLTA though).

In my nursery setting- I am the teacher and we have a level 3 (same level as a nursery nurse) with 26 children + adult support if we have children with funded support for special needs. If I am not there the level 3 takes over and they would put another adult in (probably a lower level qualification)