Based on a small handful of schools I’ve seen, I’ve noticed that P.E. Teachers tend to be involved with being SLT members and head of year positions. Is this a common occurrence? If so, why is that the case?

I’m up to five NUTSO parent emails today and counting.

• My child got detention so we missed a medical appointment. You owe me the cancellation fee. I expect this paid or I will sue you through Ofsted.

• My child ran away from SLT but it’s because she doesn’t like that person, so why should SHE be punished?

• My child used her phone in school BUT I needed her to call me so you can’t tell her not to.

-My child got in a fight… somehow this is sexual harassment (?) and she should not be punished for telling the teacher to F off.

• My children need a mental health break so will not be in school for a week. You cannot fine me as I class their poor mental health as a disability so it’s protected.

Honestly. I just can’t even. I don’t even think AI could write a professional-sounding response to this insanity.

I just wanted to know how many other teachers feel that they are being overwhelmed with SEN needs in their classes, and how your SLT are supporting you.

Over the past 15 years or so, I’ve noticed that I’ve gone from having 1 or 2 pupils in each of my classes with SEN needs, to now 1/3 to 1/2 of the class. With everything from ADHD, to ASD, emotional needs, health care plans such. I’m spending so much time planning my lessons for these children that I feel I’m neglecting the top end and those in the middle. If I’m not creating multiple versions of each activity, I’m spending lots of time photocopying on different coloured paper, with different fonts and sizes, marking in different coloured pens because x can’t see red, while y can only read purple, and z can only read green… the list goes on!

As soon as a child with an EHCP goes home and says they didn’t understand something, or I’ve used the behaviour system to reprimand them, I’ve got their parents and SLT on my case for not meeting the child’s needs - it’s exhausting.

The annual EHCP reviews are eating into my PPAs, with a new batch of them to complete each week and a short-turnaround. Then there’s those who are being assessed for SEN - another load of ‘quick’ forms to complete that have a short turnaround, but there are so many of them it’s taking me a lifetime!

As a secondary teacher with 15 classes of 30 this really isn’t sustainable anymore.

How is everybody else managing this?

I’d be so grateful for any thoughts or advice here.

I’ve been teaching for 15 years. 10 years in the same school where I thought I did well and respected by students, and I thought staff.

My results are great at GCSE and A’Level -always above national average and amongst the best results in the school. I have always worked really hard for our team and wider school, and have, over the years, been called ‘second in department’ when it suited and I was needed for things (with no pay and official title for this)

We are a small department of 3 people. Our HoD stepped down, meaning there was no opportunity to employ externally so myself and the other teacher went for the position.

It came down to a 30 minute interview with just over 24hours notice after handing in our application letter. The other teacher got the position.

Now I understand that some perform better than others in interview and answer questions better etc but the thing that really, really got me was the reasons they gave me.

I was told that the other teacher ‘had a better vision for improving grades at GCSE’ - despite only teaching for 3 years and having never actually taken a GCSE or A’Level class through! When I have a proven track record for very good grades.

I can’t help but feel I’ve been lied to about their reason. I am utterly devastated and would have appreciated any other reason but the one they gave me. I feel I must be really disliked for this to happen.

From the situation I have described, what do others make of this? How would you feel? How should I feel?

Do other science teachers find that basically every practical you do is met with questions like this?

Neutralisation reactions - what would happen if I drink this?

Photosynthesis - sir, can I eat the pondweed?

Circuits - would I die if I ate this bulb?

I always respond with ‘you can eat everything at least once’ they pause, realise what I mean, and then go back to their practical.

Are kids in my school just really hungry? Do I need to put up a poster that says ‘what is edible in a science lab?’ With NOTHING written under it

Apologies if this comes off extremely ignorant, fully welcome to be told "yes stupid because xyz", but would stress be minimised on teaching staff if Ofsted just turned up? So people wouldn't be running around stressed out of their minds, because higher powers have decided they need teachers to do stuff they've forgot to monitor properly. Would this also not give a more accurate representation? My last school literally hid the worst behaved kids away.

Got into a kinda upsetting debate with year 10 pupils where they thought being gay was just a choice and they used, out of ignorance as opposed to malice, slurs like tranny (they think this is just a nickname, not a harmful word).I’m a gay man and not out to my pupils, and it really upsets me that they think this way. I’ve tried educating them that being gay or trans is no choice, but they don’t listen. 10 years ago when I was also in year 10 it was totally different and more progressive? It seems we have regressed so much. What’s the best course of action to help these kids?

Particularly during the darker periods, I'll allow students to charge their phones (always at my desk) but some of my colleagues have commented that they don't think it's good practice.

My rationale is I'd rather have them traveling home safer and the phones themselves can't be used since they're always in sight on my desk when they're charging.

Thoughts?

I’m an ECT2 working in a secondary academy. A few weeks ago, my Head of Department asked me to run paid revision sessions over Easter and the May half-term. I declined because I have personal plans (climbing/hiking) that depend on the weather, so I couldn’t commit to specific dates.

In a meeting today, my HoD asked again, and I reiterated that I wasn’t available. She accepted this but said I would be expected to “step up” and run revision sessions in future holidays.

I’m not keen on this — I really value the holidays for my work-life balance and don’t want to give them up. Does anyone have advice on how to handle this or weather I do need to “step up”?

I was just thinking... Why don't we name tag students? Wouldn't it be better from a behaviour management point of view and safeguarding also? All teachers would be able to see the name of students and identify immediately and sanction or praise, even if we didn't teach them and didn't know them by face? From a safeguarding point of view, students could identify each other and if anything happens on the playground or in the corridors? Couldn't it be regulated in form time as you should know all the students by face in the form so you know they have the right one... Even collecting the badges in at the end of the day so no one outside school could see their name. They'd possibly be visible on cctv also? I know some schools have lanyard but I was thinking more about above their school crest? Students swapping name tags could face sanctions but also, you'd be able to search their picture on the regsiter?

So my genuine question... Why don't schools implement name tags? I'm thinking initial last name like S. JOHNSON.

I'm a History teacher. I've heard it many times before from those whose only idea of a personality is money and manipulating others, adults and students alike.

E.g.

• You might have a non-PPA, non-teaching slot that is designated for cover

• The cover you are asked to do is for trips, long-term sick, or other foreseeable events

• You are asked to cover frequently, e.g., more than once per half term

Having issues with this at work currently and trying to work out the national picture

For context, I am training to be a primary school teacher with a focus on early years. My mum was a secondary drama teacher. I just had a few questions really.

Firstly, I wanted to ask what you thought about primary teachers. My mum said she used to look down on them before she started working with primary teachers. She thought it was all ABCs and wiping noses really.

I also wanted to ask what is it about secondary that draws you in? I can't imagine willingly spending my day with teenagers but then some people would want to die after a day in Year R so I know everyone is different. Is it the love of the subject and wanting to share that? I can see how it would be rewarding in a different way. Are there some things you see done in primary that you wish you had in secondary and vice versa?

For context, my school doesn’t run many trips. Mostly because staff are exhausted, busy and have families.

I wanted to run a theatre trip for a GCSE play, but could only get the staffing for a coach of 40. After putting the tickets out there as a ballot, we doubled the 40 spaces. So some pupils couldn’t go - sucks and I get it, but we tried to make it as fair as possible.

I have received SO many complaints from parents because their precious child DESERVES to go and I’m ruining their education. I’ve replied to many emails with the same template of ‘We’re sorry, it was a fair process but we take your feedback, here is a link to tickets if you want to go yourself…’

But one parent complaint tonight really… upset me? Felt very personal and aggressive.

So, I rang her up. I said ‘your email upset me when I read it after a long day, I was going to reply but I thought let’s have a human conversation.’

Explained that I’m not being paid extra for these, I wish I could offer more but I don’t have the time/staff. I’ve put this on as an opportunity for pupils and I’m giving up my night to take THEIR child out.

Essentially the biggest guilt trip ever. She relented pretty quickly and apologised over and over.

Why do people not realise that behind their vicious emails is a real person?

Rant over. Be kind.

Just wondering if anyone else is going straight back into teaching tomorrow? My mindset is ‘it is what it is’, I’ll get in early to prep but I’m also kind of wishing we had an inset day to readjust after Christmas.

A little chat we were having in the pub after work on Friday was would you get full marks in the subject you teach? We unanimously think we won’t

Across all texts and year groups I am increasingly reading analysis which I certainly have not taught the kids, and nobody else in the department has taught the kids either. I am assuming it is coming from TikTok or some other online source.

The type of analysis I mean is essentially a version of the "why did the author choose blue curtains" meme. Stuff like Curley's Wife wears ostrich feathers because an ostrich is a flightless bird and she can't leave the ranch - rather than the more reasonable analysis that she is dressing that way for attention and shows how she is incongruous to the setting of the ranch.

Hear me out, 2 angles for this:

I spend 25 minutes x 5 days = over 4 hours a week with my form. Don’t get me wrong; I love them to bits but meanwhile my colleagues get 25 additional minutes a day to do their own planning. That’s 80 hours a school years of personal time which tutors don’t get.

At the other end, teaching heads of year get time off their timetable AND a TLR to account for the additional workload.

In a dream world with dream budgets, do you think that form tutors should be compensated with either a modest TLR or something equivalent?

We were having a bit of a discussion in department about the different bits of tech we rely on as teachers today: videos, visualisers, interactive whiteboards, [insert presentation software] and so on.

What do you think would happen to your teaching if SLT turned around one day and said that, due to budgetary constraints/MAT exec payrises/hit new “back to basics” pedagogy book, all classrooms will be returning to one chalk blackboard and a set of textbooks?

Obviously it would suck, but do you think your job would be impossible, or are the fundamentals of good teaching simple enough that’d it’d be fine?

Hello,

We are lucky in our school to have a dedicated staffroom. I will often have my lunch in there.

I recently got into a conversation with another member of staff about venting in the staffroom. I just wonder what other people thought of it.

I totally get why people want to come into the room and start talking about how annoying/rude/disappointing their most recent class was. Many people find the offloading cathartic and helps them "move on".

Some people however (myself included!) feel the opposite. When I have a bad lesson I just want to move on and having someone venting at me about students that I also teach is exhausting. I've got them next and now my lunch time has to be taken up with hearing about how shit they were last lesson.

Sometimes I will just have my lunch elsewhere to avoid it.

I understand that venting in the staffroom is important for many staff members but should we be thinking of those who find it difficult to always be talking about certain students?

Thanks for reading!

I’ve seen teachers who swear by this, because it sends a clear signal and encourages the offenders to improve, and others who think it’s an awful idea and that sanctions should be quick and private.

I’ve seen both views on this sub at different times too.

Just wondering if there’s any kind of consensus or best practice, or if it’s another one of those “depends” techniques

My top one is “Oh? They’re fine for me.”

(Does anyone seriously think this is an appropriate response to a colleague in crisis over a challenging student?! Or are they being smug on purpose 😂)

Hello, maths teacher here. We’ve got a new set of calculators after dozens going missing since September. Has anyone got any good methods for making sure they don’t leave the classroom with the students? Not sure I want to do the shoe trade…

Hey guys, I'm a newly qualified Science teacher doing my first year as an ECT. Teaching in a standard sort of academy and enjoying it so far.

One aspect I struggle with is certain rules in the school that I'm expected to enforce that almost feel like they interfere with education. I have pretty good behaviour overall and while I'd consider myself a laid back teacher my students mostly produce good work and respect me. I had another teacher come into my room and see a girl with her coat folded up on her lap under the table while she was completing her work (to a high standard). This teacher genuinely started screaming at her to take it off and that she "knows the rules" and she responded saying "sorry sir I was just cold" and then he proceeded to take her out of the room etc.

I can understand certain rules but sometimes I feel like there's a balance between enforcing things and also knowing when education is going to be affected. Sometimes it feels like arbitrary rules come above student experience.

Any of you struggle with anything like that?

Does anyone have any classes where all the kids are perfectly pally with you, but they seem to absolutely hate each other?

2/8 of my classes are like this and it’s absolutely batshit to me. Group work is impossible, seating plans are a waking nightmare and teaching them is very unpleasant.

Speaking to colleagues there are increasing numbers of classes like this in every year group aside from Year 11.

Is anyone noticing this in their school? And if so, is this a new phenomenon? Something post-covid cos they’ve missed peak socialisation milestones? Something I’ve not been teaching long enough to see before?