Posted by pricklyhedgehog
Can I refuse the non-class contact teacher to cover my class? I have informed SMT on many occasions about her inability to manage the class and some more serious issues. Where do I stand?
Posted by seren_dipity
It’s not for you to decide whether or not a colleague is competent to take your class. If you have reported what you consider to be the issues, it is up to the HT to decide what to do.
Posted by going_lala
Have you actually observed this teacher teaching your class? Do you realise the difficulties in teaching NCCT? You only see kids for short amounts of time - barely enough to learn all their names, never mind get to know them individually. If you have seen this person in action, and think she is struggling to manage the class, why not suggest some of the techniques that you use and try to help her rather than slating her?
Posted by pinkfairy2
I am doing NCCT time at the moment and would be very upset if I knew the teachers thought that about me and didn’t try to help, rather than go running to SMT. While I understand it might be difficult to hand your class to a teacher who, you felt, could not manage, it would be much better to try to help them, rather than starting a vendetta against them.
Posted by pricklyhedgehog
I have tried to discuss this with her and she seems to think she is “doing me a favour”. It’s nursery and the kids are very easy to manage. She has left children in the toilets and gone outside. Before I started, she left a child in the garden, returned to nursery and didn’t realise until the parent came to collect the child. I have reported everything to SMT but I am very concerned for the safety of the children.
Posted by going_lala
If you have tried to talk to her, then you need to persevere with SMT as children are being put in danger. I hope SMT start to listen.
Posted by pinkfairy2
That sounds like a bad situation. Surely there are other staff who will back you up as well? You should keep notes of things like what you have mentioned, so that you have some evidence (with the risk of sounding like you are trying to compile a case against her), so that maybe the SMT can support her to be more aware of health and safety issues. Maybe she hasn’t had experience in a nursery before.
www.tes.co.ukcommunity, click on TES Scotland, then opinion.
