H giving up teaching

[Ormiriathomimus]

H has been teaching in Special School since 2009. He finished training back in 1996 at the age of 30 but didn't actually get into teaching until 2009 after as year as a LSA. Did really well for 2 years - kids loved him, parents delighted with him and their kids progress, HT said he was a good teacher. New HT arrived and had to shake school up to cope with Ofsted. She isn't happy with him and has told him he has to go through a capability process or they will give him LSA role to keep him in the school. They want him there - he has very good discipline in the classroom (in a school where kids often have a tendency to throw chairs and punches his is the calmest classroom), he has good rapport with the kids.......but he can't keep up with paperwork and basically doesn't have the teaching skills required now.

H had been stressed to the max - not himself at all. He has never dreaded monday mornings before but now he does

He spoke to me, his sister (ex-teacher), the deputy head who think the sun shines out of his arse. And in the end decided to go with the LSA role.

I am freaking out a bit. I have been the main breadwinner for years and supported him through college. And I was really enjoying having more money and being able to relax a bit. However .... que sera. Not the main issue.

HT has said she will ensure he will do more training so that in time he will be back to a teaching role, he will also be able to do supply while he is LSA. I think she is being very fair. They really like him but she honestly thinks he is struggling in his current role. H agrees.

It's all a bit shitty really but H is releived.

Anyway..... question is, should he inform his union of what is going on?

[mousebacon]

Yes! I'm amazed the union haven't been involved yet. Any mention of capability/disciplinary procedures = UNION.

Good luck with it all x

[IsobelEliza]

I wouldn't give in to being downgraded like this. There is a lot of this going on at the moment. It saves HT lots of money and they seem to need to have proof of capability proceedings with some staff in the school to look to Ofsted that they are being proactive. I would suggest he moves schools.

[cornypedicure]

can he go on supply?

[ilovesooty]

He should get his union in ASAP. This sounds like a money saving exercise to me. I also can't believe he hasn't already involved them.

[OrmirianResurgam]

Thanks

He is completely lost atm. He doesn't want to involve the union if it means messing up his relationship with school and HT as he loves it there, but we both wonder if he;s being spun a line,.

I will suggest he speaks to the union

[bamboostalks]

I bet he'll end up doing the same role for less money. He needs support in his current role not demotion. He certainly will not be appointed to a teaching role again.

[OrmirianResurgam]

One of the school managerment committee who is also a very experienced teacher has heard about all of this and given him a union contact number. He is ringing them today. I just hope it doesn't make everything worse. He has been a different man since the new HT arrived - so stressed and miserable. Part of me wanted him to take the demotion if it meant he was happier

[OrmirianResurgam]

"I bet he'll end up doing the same role for less money.
That's exactly what I thought."

Yes, that is our concern too. Hence calling the union

[OrmirianResurgam]

BTW the new head has also taken over a similar special school in the town which are being amalgamated in September. 3 teachers and a handful of assistants have left that school because of her actions. But then again I guess she is doing what she has to - both schools were 'satisfactory' in their Ofsted report last year.

[cardibach]

If the parents are happy, the children are making progress and the previous Head said he was good, I think this is rather surprising. What do you mean 'basically doesn't have the teaching skills required now'?
This sounds like a bullying head to me. Union asap and don't accept any reduction in status/salary until they have been consulted.

[OrmirianResurgam]

She means that he doesn't show what progress has been made. He doesn't map the pupil's progress day to day. He's not great at the admin side.

Ofsted just been. HT pleased as the preliminary result is needs progress but with plenty of oustanding areas - beleive me it could have been worse! But two teachers that the staff think are wonderful have been marked as unsatisfactory and two teachers who are seen as less than stellar 'pen-pushers' were marked as outstanding.