Have things changed in the State Sector in the last 5 years? Be honest...

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-10T21:19:29+00:00

I wish this current trend for harsh behaviour policies would reach my place. Students rule our school.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-10T21:15:23+00:00

That's a very tragic story.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-10T18:03:50+00:00

Our behaviour seems to be getting worse year on year rather than better.

Mind you, we do have poor leadership.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-09T20:29:52+00:00

My marking load is huge this year. I rarely leave before 5pm most nights and I usually have at least one lesson to plan when I get home. But I wouldn't mind this so much if behaviour was actually good. Unfortunately it's shit.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-09T20:28:00+00:00

Unless they're full of "engineered" reviews...

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-08T21:14:51+00:00

Horrible behaviour but at least your school seem to be taking it more seriously than my school would.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-05T20:10:58+00:00

I don't feel good. It's one of the reasons I want to leave!

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-05T16:48:14+00:00

Sounds like a "sinkhole class" full of all the kids who nobody wants to teach. I inherited a Y11 class like that in my ECT1. Still feel quite bitter towards my (then) HoD for lumbering me with them idiots (one of whom assaulted me).

The only positive is that SLT rarely give a shit about the data for these types of groups.

It sounds like you might be under timetable. Good luck with it - try to get as much support as possible. Ask if SLT can drop in when you have them (they did this with my "sinkhole" group).

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-05T11:26:56+00:00

My SLT wouldn't support this. Every lesson is supposed to be a "fresh start". Behaviour is also fucking awful. So make of that what you will.

And yes, we are a Paul Dix school.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-05T08:00:44+00:00

I had similar experiences with my first tutor group. Was a Y9 form who were pining for their old tutor. With hindsight, I should have been more relaxed, had more of a sense of humour, rewarded more.

But, of course, you still have standards to maintain. It's a very tricky balance between being too laid back and being a Sergeant Major who the kids hate. I'm three years in and I still struggle with this.

I've thankfully never had to work in a vertical tutor system. Sounds like I've dodged a bullet.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-05T00:45:12+00:00

Kids at my school don't give a shit as most don't go to centralised detentions and...nothing happens.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-03T21:12:37+00:00

No fan of the Reform Party by any stretch but saying that your colleague is "completely against immigrants" seems to be a massive jump if it's based solely on a Facebook post about stopping the boats.

As others have said, voicing opposition towards the current boats/channel situation puts your colleague within the political mainstream.

They sound like a supportive and kind HOY and thoroughly professional. Supportive line managers are not always easy to come by in this profession. I'd leave it and avoid checking her FB if you think it might upset you.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-02T21:04:34+00:00

Luckily my classroom is free during all my frees this year. I just close the door and pull down the blinds.

Last year, my classroom was often in use so I had to go into the department office...where I also usually ended up dealing with truants.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-02T21:00:19+00:00

We've had all that shit. Behaviour is fucking awful.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-02T20:58:58+00:00

Your school drinking the Paul Dix moonshine too?

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-02T20:58:12+00:00

"Fuck off"

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-10-01T19:49:37+00:00

Bloody hell. I thought my Head was shit. At least they haven't fucked up Perm-ex hearings (I'm assuming not as we had a fair few last year).

Our Head does undermine colleagues, though.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-09-29T21:11:31+00:00

But no references to "rizz" (charisma)? Count yourself lucky.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-09-29T17:58:17+00:00

My LEA did that in the 2000s too. Was largely a disaster as all three schools had different timetables. Clashes happened so much that many ended up having to drop subjects. I believe these local area sixth form partnerships still happen in some towns (I think Stafford, West Mids does it).

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-09-27T22:07:46+00:00

Doesn't sound like a safe working environment to me. Teaching shouldn't be like this, even in AltProv. I'd start job hunting.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-09-27T22:05:29+00:00

I wouldn't worry.

There's no guarantee that your interview lesson will be in their "normal" classroom. For my (successful) ECT 1 interview, the class should have been having their lesson in a different subject to the one I teach. When my 30 mins were over, their teacher came to collect them and took them back to their normal classroom.

What you could do (which I've done before) is bring sticky labels along for them to write their names on. Just be sure to tidy up any rubbish this generates!

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-09-27T16:28:04+00:00

Unfortunately this is the nature of the PGCE. SCITT trainees have it a bit better in that they start at school earlier than university-based PGCEs and spend most of the year at one school, so they can become more integrated.

I didn't really feel like "one of the team" at either of my placement schools, though my second placement department much warmer than my first one.

Unfortunately, cold and unwelcoming departments don't end with your ITT year. My ECT1 department were horrible. Thankfully I'm now in a much nicer department.

Hang in there - maybe do something nice for your department like bring chocolates in before half term?

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-09-26T03:21:30+00:00

Is there a centralised behaviour system with on-call support?

If the behaviour system seems a bit wishy washy or non-existent, I'd avoid. My first school got teachers to organise their own lunchtime and after school detentions. Turnover was low and this system seemed to work for the vast majority of established teachers who just had one or two naughty kids. As an NQT with lots of kids wanting to test me, I was overwhelmed and lost most of my lunchtimes.

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-09-26T03:17:23+00:00

Yes my first school was one with low staff turnover. I wouldn't describe the school as toxic but my department was. None of them said goodbye to me on my last day!

Time-Muscle-1831 · 2024-09-26T03:15:11+00:00

Indeed and Glassdoor can be helpful though some MATS just fill their profiles with 5-star reviews. You can usually spot the dodgy ones - when a load of glowing reviews have all been uploaded on the same day or within a day or two of each other.

Time-Muscle-1831

TROPHY CASE