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So I got an initial response from the HoD asking me when I am free this week.
I said I am free all day every day apart from Wednesday.
He suggested we meet on Wednesday.
I immediately responded (as in about 30 seconds after I got his email) saying I can't do Wednesday and asking what other availability he has.
I've still not had a response – delaying tactics? Hoping the move will go ahead and I'll give up?
Or replying to emails between lessons. There are days when I have no non contacts and planning takes up break. Li my if I can deal with 50% of emails with a cursory answer
*Or replying to emails between lessons. *
No, it was before the school day started this morning at about 8am so I responded immediately in the hope he would still be at his computer and be able to schedule something.
I recall being put down 3 sets when my mates copied my work and I was called as copying theirs
Realistically it did me no harm at all as basically I was smart enough to do the work in the first place
Looks like you need to make time on Wednesday.
Or wait a reasonable amount of time for a response...
This morning for me was: get in 0800 put computer on get 4 emails sent, the rest can wait. Check absences in dept. Work out cover work for 8 classes. Print cover work and cover timetable, put appropriate work in correct classes. Quickly catch up on staff. Get lessons 1&2 set up. Wander round having wee chats with pupils as they went to reg. Caught up with cover teachers explained the work they were to do and any highlights amongst the pupils.
The day just went on from there. I'm afraid that lots of things slid to the bottom of the list. It's not often I can get into a to and fro email conversation.
Busy olympics.
Just trying to highlight that HoD might be busy.
This morning for me was: get in 0800 put computer on get 4 emails sent, the rest can wait. Check absences in dept. Work out cover work for 8 classes. Print cover work and cover timetable, put appropriate work in correct classes. Quickly catch up on staff. Get lessons 1&2 set up. Wander round having wee chats with pupils as they went to reg. Caught up with cover teachers explained the work they were to do and any highlights amongst the pupils.
The day just went on from there. I’m afraid that lots of things slid to the bottom of the list. It’s not often I can get into a to and fro email conversation.
Bloody hell, teachers moan about being over-worked but that sounds like the life of Riley!
As HoD, do you do honest appraisals with your team members? Sound's like you are delegating most of your job onto lower ranking memnbers of staff.
delaying tactics? Hoping the move will go ahead and I’ll give up?
If you have to ask!?
I immediately responded (as in about 30 seconds after I got his email) saying I can’t do Wednesday and asking what other availability he has.
I’ve still not had a response – delaying tactics? Hoping the move will go ahead and I’ll give up?
I frequently have people who ask “when” and an answer of “anytime except X” as “x”. I assume it’s skim reading not conspiracy.
Assuming other people process their inbox the same way as you do is a fool’s errand - indeed I have an automatic tendency NOT to reply to an email if I get an immediate response myself as 1. It creates the wrong expectation; 2. It probably means we are using the wrong communication tool.
Nah, ****tery just winds folk up.
*Looks like you need to make time on Wednesday.*
Why? He has the option of every hour of every other day. And I have still not heard back.
I said I am free all day every day apart from Wednesday.
He suggested we meet on Wednesday.
That alone justifies going over his head as I originally suggested. There's little point in meeting soemone you are all ready in conflict with, go over their head to the head or governors.
Why? He has the option of every hour of every other day. And I have still not heard back.
I'd politely suggest that he may be busy for at least some of the time!
I suggest he is being obstructive. Politeness doesn't come in to it
I wrote a much longer reply but after careful consideration this is all that remains:
As with every profession I've worked in there have been a range of attitudes from absolute professionalism to incompetant and nasty with it.
Might I suggest that possibly your child has just dropped down the rankings? Lets say, 5 sets. 150 kids = 30ish in each. The top 30ish will make the top set. There may be two top sets if numbers demand . You get my drift? It may vary a bit of course but if the school feels that she doesn't fit for some reason then maybe the experts know better.
Nice sociable chat will be worth it but no need to get even slightly confrontational. I would regard an email reply within 24 hours more than good enough knowing the pressure schools are in. Next week would be fine.
Haven't read the thread, has anyone suggested that everyone concerned just suck it up and get on with it?
Haven’t read the thread, has anyone suggested that everyone concerned just suck it up and get on with it?
You do know you're on STW just now, i'm amazed we haven't had more posts blaming Keir Starmer or capitalism for all this so far 🤣
You do know you’re on STW just now
Would that it were just a STW thing.
Can someone explain why being moved down is a bad thing? More support, more time, might actually improve grades.
Sometimes the top groups just rattle through the curriculum so teacher doesn't have to interact with kids.
I remember my science teachers wanted to drop me from the top set... until I proved them wrong by getting close to 90% in a past set of O level papers a year out from the exams, and doing waaaaay better than the class golden balls.
They are not always right. (But I know it's a sometimes thankless job - my mrs left teaching).
If the actual teacher doesn't agree with it (as you indicate they didnt) then talking to the teacher is a waste of time. If it really is 1 subject that slipped a bit (you said a '7' - that's not like getting a '2'!) You probably need to tell the HoD to go buy another desk for the new kid to move up ! I'd want the HoD to explain themselves!
Me ? I was shiiite at Laplace Transforms in my degree's maths. Still am. But didn't need me being degraded to the HND group !
I’d want the HoD to explain themselves!
Like every other profession there needs to be accountability and transparency in teaching. However, that doesn't mean parents should be demanding explanations for every single decision.
Me ? I was shiiite at Laplace Transforms in my degree’s maths. Still am. But didn’t need me being degraded to the HND group !
Didn't do too well in logic either! "Dropping down a set" is not equivalent to changing qualification.
You probably need to tell the HoD to go buy another desk for the new kid to move up !
And presumably your maths degree didn't get you a job where either people skills, budget management or complying with external regulations (like no of pupils in the class) were a reality.
Like every other profession there needs to be accountability and transparency in teaching. However, that doesn’t mean parents should be demanding explanations for every single decision.
We’ve not ‘demanded’ a single thing since they have been at the school (ie, start of yr 7). But on this particular situation, I feel like an explanation is due.
Thread resurrection… she’s just completed her mock GCSEs and has been moved back up into the top set - what a waste, messing kids around (especially after being told three months ago that there would be no more moves in their GCSE period). All because of one set of results that were clearly an exception. TBF, she’s buzzing and so proud of herself though. 🙂
The Parenthood Rollercoaster!
Perhaps she needed to revisit blocks of the syllabus that the higher set wouldn’t be going back over in any depth, and her time in the lower set has paid off.
Perhaps she needed to revisit blocks of the syllabus that the higher set wouldn’t be going back over in any depth, and her time in the lower set has paid off.
Nah - it was clearly the wrong decision made by the wrong people (as I said from the start, her teacher didn't agree with the decision). She struggled with one subject that was covered in one test and that's it. The proof is clear – she has now been moved straight back up to the class she had been back in since the start of Year 7. Madness. And this is a child who struggles with anxiety (which the school know all about) and change isn't easy for her to cope with.
And if she needed to revisit the one subject she struggled with, it could have been covered with additional tutoring sessions (the school offers this), rather than move classes around half-way through GCSEs.
Investment bank analyst: Straight A’s, Double Maths, Phd.
Investment bank CEO: Modern Art, Dropout of Uni to pick basil in Italy over summer to perfect their pesto recipe.
Get a tutor or the teacher to help over break times with the struggle subjects.
Double down on internships and work experience as early as possible.
Or relax a bit to the reduce the stress/anxiety levels a bit
TBF, she’s buzzing and so proud of herself though. 🙂
Sounds like it did some good then.
I am not so sure it did her good (and we could even consider that she has missed out on some key learning leading up to her GCSEs which could be detrimental). She spent the last three months questioning her abilities and, as I have already said, I maintain that the original decision was wrong.
The first thing i'll say is GCSE's dont matter in the real world. As long as you get a C (or whatever it is now) its zero barrier later in life. Theres too much pressure on kids at this stage.
If she follows this up a level to A Levels, its going to increase in difficulty by x1000 and become harder to be at the top of the class.
Having had to go through a difficult patch (and recover) is a good life lesson to learn.
The first thing i’ll say is GCSE’s dont matter in the real world. As long as you get a C (or whatever it is now) its zero barrier later in life.
Whilst I agree with that sentiment (I got shocking grades and only having some artistic skills saved me), at that age they should feel like they are being recognised and rewarded for their (quite substantial) efforts, not be moved down a class based on what was, in her case, a single blip. Anyway, I feel like I am repeating myself now.
I would go in and have a friendly word, I think teachers should expect a little parental concern if their children are getting dropped a set.
But from your OP I would be prepared for a couple of things
1, you might have a biased view of your kids previous performance (maybe even encouraged by some misinformation from them). So be prepared that it might be the right decision, and allow them to give their justification.
2. The teacher who said it was nothing to do with them might have been passing the book so they don't have to deal with any fallout.
@MSP – it is all sorted now – she was moved down three months ago (we didn't agree but accepted their decision after I discussed it with the HoD), she has done her mocks, done well (as we expected her to do, and as her teacher expected her to) and has been moved back to where she was in the top set!
Have we found out the reason for the move?
The move back up or the original move down?