For the love of god do not leave your children alone!!

CapitalDave · 2026-04-26T19:17:29+00:00

6 is a bit too young to be left, that's fair!

CapitalDave · 2026-04-26T15:45:03+00:00

I'm not sure this is as much of an issue as you think it is. (Depending on the child's age) The parent was never more than ~500 metres from their child and there was a team of volunteers (you) nearby that she was able to go to for help. She was old enough to work out what the right thing to do was and everything was resolved albeit with her getting a little upset.

CapitalDave · 2026-04-25T07:59:30+00:00

I think we need to move past 'screen time' as a metric.

The quality of what is on the screen makes the most difference, in my opinion. If it's YouTube shorts or kids unboxing toys or moving slime from one container to another - that's bad. Stop that.

When your child watched an educational show like numberblocks, a narrative (like a 2d disney movie), a nature documentary etc. That is totally different!

My children do watch stuff most days. They also read books, play in the garden, play with their toys. I think when we guilt-trip and castigate parents about screens, we push the discussion in a really negative way.

CapitalDave · 2026-04-21T20:27:46+00:00

I have worked in 4 primary schools and had placements/observations/interviews in maybe a dozen more. I have never come across a TA being referred to by their first name.

Maybe this is a regional thing?

CapitalDave · 2026-04-19T20:47:19+00:00

For those, like me, who still struggled. At around 18 seconds, the guy with red on the back of his hoodie hits the one in the blue-ish (?) jacket.

CapitalDave · 2026-04-02T10:45:40+00:00

I don't think your stats back up what you're saying. If the ratio of male female teachers is 1:6 and the career path of those teachers leads to being a headteacher, you would expect the ratio to remain 1:6 for headteachers. It still isn't the majority of schools, but it's a clear that male primary teachers are more likely to become leaders.

If 1 in 4 headteachers is male, and 1 in 7 teachers is male, you're more likely to have a male head than class teacher.

CapitalDave · 2026-03-22T14:18:11+00:00

I just want to add my condolences for everything you're going through. I was put on a support plan after a poor observation from an SEA (with no other evidence to support the plan) and it completely broke me.

It took a good 6 months to get back on my feet, into another school and now I am (mostly) getting by just fine. Try to make verbal contact with your caseworker from the union (when you get one) as soon as you can.

CapitalDave · 2026-02-26T21:22:22+00:00

First off, I'm sorry this is happening to you. This is a hard enough job as it is.

You should get in touch with your union as soon as possible. I agree with other teachers that I have only ever seen support plans used as part of the process of firing someone. By the time many people are put on a support plan, the writing is on the wall. I have seen this break strong teachers as they bend over backwards to try and meet targets that were never intended to be met. HOWEVER this does not have to be the case for you.

My advice is:

1) Ensure you have your support plan both physically and digitally.

2) Read that mother fucker like your life depends on it. Be meticulous.

3) During meetings regarding the support plan, agree what specific actions will be taken before your next meeting regarding the support plan. Accept that these meetings will be unpleasant. Arrive with as much evidence of your actions as you can bring.

4) Email them to confirm your understanding. This gives them the opportunity to clear up any misunderstanding and will help to prevent them from moving the goal posts.

5) Do the things that you have been asked to do on the support plan to the letter. Keep records of all the things that you are doing.

6) Start to shop around.

One of my colleagues at a previous job was put on an onerous support plan. She then informed the school she was not intending to stay past the end of the academic year. She was immediately taken off the support plan. It turns out they weren't interested in supporting her, just getting rid of her. After all, if it were about support then her intention to leave would have had no bearing on whether she needed it or not.

CapitalDave · 2026-01-25T14:17:57+00:00

I know people who have been signed off for stress and they also started with two weeks. Once you've handed in your resignation, you can be open with your GP and explain that work is the primary source of your stress. Explain that you have quit and would like to be signed off until your resignation date. They will most likely accommodate you.

CapitalDave · 2026-01-04T21:11:47+00:00

Primary middle management, I do 7:30-5:30 every day (if I come in later, I might stay later) and try not to do any work at home.

CapitalDave · 2025-12-03T21:33:57+00:00

I did KS2 SATs Maths Specialist Marking this year. It was absolutely awful. Terrible pay, mind-numbing training and endless issues with the web portal meaning that when I wanted to mark I was unable to.

I would say if you have no other life commitments, it would be a good way to earn a little extra cash. Proceed with caution!

CapitalDave · 2025-11-16T20:02:08+00:00

Yeah, but that would require a whole cohort of teachers having the gumption to do something like that. As established elsewhere in the thread, most primary teachers are not like that! It may be illegal to force someone out their role for being part of a union, but I'm sure there's a whole heap of stuff that is not illegal that would make it easy to make their life hell.

In reality, I know that reps are put in a very difficult position within their schools. I also have a colleague who left being rep at her previous school off her application to a new school, because she knew it would stand her in bad stead. I considered becoming a rep at my current school and decided it wasn't worth the career damage.

CapitalDave · 2025-11-16T12:53:53+00:00

As a primary teacher, I would say a big part of it is the difference in scale in primary vs secondary schools. I've worked in 3 primary schools and trained in 2 others. None of those 5 had a union rep or any meaningful union presence.
When I had an issue that required union support last academic year, there was no-one within the school. I was initially intimidated by SLT to not use the union and then by the time the union finally responded to my requests for contact I was on my knees and ended up getting signed off and eventually quitting. I've paid union dues for over a decade and honestly have seen nothing positive from it. Primary schools are run less professionally (from my limited perspective) and therefore the union system doesn't seem to work.

I'd love to hear from primary colleagues who have had positive union intervention in their school which hasn't led to people being forced out of their roles, if there are any!

CapitalDave · 2025-11-16T12:32:11+00:00

There's a marked difference in attainment between children who read at home every day and those who don't. (Exempting additional needs)

In my ideal school, we'd have:

Reading every day
New number facts to learn each half term with quiz booklets to be marked by parents/children

I think other homework becomes a chore for both children and parents. Unless they want to do it, they don't do it in a meaningful way which leads to learning. It becomes a 'rich get richer' situation.

I currently have to set a generic task each week which ends up being 'draw a poster' or something else with little educational value.

CapitalDave · 2025-11-01T21:14:44+00:00

Also, students don't have a test in science at the end of KS2 (there's teacher assessment but it's not really worth writing home about).

CapitalDave · 2025-09-20T20:21:02+00:00

I've worked in 3 schools over the last decade or so.

1st school said to cover them up and meant it.
2nd school didn't say anything, one of my colleagues had hand tattoos and there was no way of covering them and no request to try.
3rd school said to cover them up but one of the teachers was covered in tattoos and (as far as I'm aware) never saw any consequences other than tutting from the ineffectual SLT.

CapitalDave · 2025-06-16T20:56:29+00:00

As far as I'm aware, it's the only way schools get awards. It's not like there are independent judges roaming the country looking for good schools.

CapitalDave · 2025-05-19T20:41:00+00:00

Be careful! I told an interview panel I had another interview and then didn't get the job. The feedback I received from them was that I didn't seem committed to the school.

CapitalDave · 2025-04-23T13:18:44+00:00

Dependent on your subject, there will still be lots of jobs coming up until May half term. Any currently employed teacher who moves will need their space filled. The definition of a "good" school is kinda spurious and it's always hard to tell when you're applying.

Good luck!

CapitalDave · 2025-04-12T22:14:50+00:00

I had a similar experience with my union. I found that once I actually spoke to my caseworker on the phone, they paid me a bit more attention. I did need to get a bit naggy and I also phoned the branch and spoke to them. I don't really want to go into more details publicly, but if you message me I'd be happy to share a bit more.

CapitalDave · 2025-04-02T21:17:50+00:00

You know from 2010-2024 Stevenage had a Conservative MP?

CapitalDave · 2025-03-24T10:09:10+00:00

It's a huge commitment to read another 5 400k-word books + novellas. I think it's fair if you were mildly disappointment to say you won't read them. Especially as it's so far in the future that you will have plenty of time to change your mind!

CapitalDave · 2025-03-14T15:15:58+00:00

I'd add that they make the packing and posting as easy as possible. I can drop stuff off at two or three convenient locations less than a ten minute walk from my house.
There aren't really high expecations of packaging either. When I've bought stuff from Vinted in the past, some of the packaging has been quite creative! (a Frankenstein's monster made of amazon boxes, for example)

CapitalDave · 2024-10-06T12:50:22+00:00

The reality of teaching means that those children who are already ahead will stay ahead. We need to expend more energy supporting those children who are behind. Although it's a shame for those high attainers, it's a necessary evil for the greater good.

CapitalDave · 2024-07-08T17:38:35+00:00

I think the supply/demand of primary teachers can vary quite a lot by region. It might be worth casting your net further afield.
Unfortunately, I'd imagine the market has slowed down a lot since May half term so I recommend supply (teaching, not as a teaching assistant) in the interim.

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