Changing teachers halfway through

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drummer
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:47 pm
Location: South Bucks

Changing teachers halfway through

Post by drummer »

What obligation is there for schools to explain sudden changes in teachers?

My child is in Y10 , halfway through GCSE courses and they have just had two sudden changes in different subjects.

I know stuff happens, teachers move on, no problem, but I do think the school should write to the parents of those affected to al least notify them of the change if not to explain it.

I am sure that the new teachers will be just as qualified, or maybe even better qualified and able than the last BUT, it does take time to get to know a class and each individual child so it is a worrying disruption.

What do you think? Personally I think letting us know would be an inexpensive courtesy that might allay possible fears...
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Changing teachers halfway through

Post by Amber »

Have the previous teachers left the school or just been moved sideways, or upwards? And are the new teachers 'new' or existing ones? Either way, it sounds as if it would have been polite to let you know...although some schools rotate teachers according to expertise. My DD's school does this with Geography, with one teaching the human stuff and one teaching the physical, and the school I mainly work in does it for English - one does the speaking and listening for all sets, one does the writing, etc. We don't routinely inform parents...it is just how we do it, but I expect it is written down somewhere.

Doesn't your DC know what the reason is?
scary mum
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Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Changing teachers halfway through

Post by scary mum »

My DCs are at the same school I think. DD is in GCSE year and has a pretty poor supply teacher in the subject she struggles most in and has had many changes of teacher in the last two years, but we ve ever been informed. I can't help but feel the there as been quite a large turnover since they became an academy, but maybe it's always like that. Having said that most of the teachers seems excellent.
scary mum
drummer
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:47 pm
Location: South Bucks

Re: Changing teachers halfway through

Post by drummer »

One is a complete surprise, only met the teacher last week at parent's evening and they were saying what they were going to do for my child etc. All the children know is that a new teacher was introduced by Head of Dept which doesn't happen if it's a supply teacher.

Other situation is more complicated but neither move is part of some plan. Even so, why not just keep parents informed and even forewarned if it is a situation as at Amber's school where staff are rotated for deliberate, pre-planned reasons. Seems a common sense way of keeping parents on side and not worried.
yoyo123
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Location: East Kent

Re: Changing teachers halfway through

Post by yoyo123 »

teachers usually are expected to give half a term's notice of leaving
Looking for help
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Location: Berkshire

Re: Changing teachers halfway through

Post by Looking for help »

My son lost his maths teacher just after the start of the year (no notice, apparently there was a terrible family problem, which obviously we understand). He then had a string of substitutes, some of whom didn't seem to understand much maths (he's in Y9, so not A Level). Finally now he has a permanent teacher again, however he hasn't progressed in this time, I'm assuming most of his classmates haven't either. AT the recent parent's evening he was told that he wouldn't be able to remain in the top set if he wasn't a secure level 8 by the end of the summer (he has been 7B since last summer). Erm - it doesn't really seem to be his fault, so I will be taking that up with them then. (Apparently top set do Maths and also Statistics GCSE).

We've had no communication from the school about the situation, however when we went to parent's evening they did acknowledge that his class have had a rough time, and were hopeful that things would pick up from now. We shall see.

I think possibly the problem is that if something happens and a teacher has to leave, it can be very difficult to replace them at short notice. Again though, that's not the pupils' fault, and so schools must make every effort to make sure that enough si done for them to ensure satisfactory progress at least
scary mum
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Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Changing teachers halfway through

Post by scary mum »

Drummer, would you mind pming me which subject this is? My DDs never seem to know if the teacher is supply or not. DD seems to have a truly bad teacher in the subject she struggles most in, which is awful the term before GCSEs. She thinks they are supply but isn't sure.
scary mum
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