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Dear Clare - Should I inform governors?

Last post 17/01/12 at 20:53 by mungojoe, 13 replies
Post started by cocoabrown on 11/12/11 at 13:18

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  • cocoabrown avatar
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    Posted by: cocoabrown 11/12/2011 at 13:18
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    I have resigned from a school where bullying and harassment are absolutely imbedded. The school is run by fear and constant threats of disciplinaries. Every term there is an exodus of staff, it is a four form entry and this term alone 10 members of staff have resigned, six of whom are teachers. My quandary is that the union claim that telling governors will mean that the head will conjure up a misconduct claim against me which although won't stick will be very damaging to my health and prospects. The head has even gone so far as to lie on a reference she provided an employer about me having child protection disciplinary sanctions against me (later claiming she was tired when she wrote the reference and it was an admin error). Whilst I really want governors to know about all this, I wonder if there is a point me contacting them as the sheer number of staff leaving every term, many of whom resign before securing work, should be enough to set alarm bells ringing. Surely they should be themselves investigating what is going on. I hope this is coherent as I feel it is very jumbled in my head. Regards.
  • IndigoDreams avatar
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    Posted by: IndigoDreams 12/12/2011 at 12:03
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    The govs should be questioning the HT very closely as to why so many staff are leaving.

    If your HT is a bully and you need them as a reference, then you do still need to be careful.

    If you knew any of the govs, maybe you could tell them some stuff informally, so that they're not fooled by the HTs glib answers......

  • Crispness avatar
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    Posted by: Crispness 12/12/2011 at 14:12
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    You say 10 members of staff have resigned this term. Is that more or less than last term? Whats the termly average over the last 2 years? How many staff does the school employ in total? How long has the head been in post? Do the Staff Governors agree with you about the school being run by fear?
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    Posted by: tom clancy 12/12/2011 at 15:51
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    Your school must have a whistleblowing policy. Might be worth considering once you have resigned, references have been sent and you have a new job.
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    Posted by: cocoabrown 12/12/2011 at 21:50
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    Thank you all for responding, the number of teachers to have left since July 2010 is 36 (9 retired). Have tried looking for the whistleblowing policy...it's as allusive as the governors details! surely tough the numbers speak for themselves and I shouldn't have to blow any whistles!!!
  • Crispness avatar
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    Posted by: Crispness 14/12/2011 at 07:29
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    If 36 staff left out of a total of 37, that would be very significant. If 36 left out of a total of 236 that would not be significant. How many people are employed at the school? What is the FTE (full time equivalency)? What is the FTE for those that left?
  • cocoabrown avatar
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    Posted by: cocoabrown 16/12/2011 at 23:44
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    Hi Crispness, we are a 3/4 form entry primary school. Currently at the school are 26 full time teachers, approximately 11 support Staff, 8 SMSA's, 6 office staff and one caretaker , the number I quote is of teaching staff alone leaving (therefore does not include the 4 TA's, 4 caretakers, 2 receptionists,1 attendance officer or 3 SMSA's we have lost in the same period). Some year groups have had 3 teachers in one year.
  • Crispness avatar
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    Posted by: Crispness 18/12/2011 at 19:37
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    If those numbers are correct - and I have no reason to doubt you - then it will be pretty obvious to anyone around the school that something is not right. Financially, there must be a lot of money being spent on recruitment and induction training. Presumably Head of Year and Subject Specialists have been changing regularly. Governors should be meeting some of these people on a cyclical basis. And parents will know about 3 teachers in one year. So I'd say the GB are aware of a problem. If they are not aware of it already, then they are not a very good GB. Not sure what else to say
  • kanddd avatar
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    Posted by: kanddd 19/12/2011 at 11:23
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     Doesn't the head teacher write a report to the Governors?

    Doesn't the head teacher have to report to the HR committee (or whatever committee you have for staffing)?

    I should think the GB already know. 

  • cocoabrown avatar
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    Posted by: cocoabrown 19/12/2011 at 19:38
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    Crispness:
    If those numbers are correct - and I have no reason to doubt you - then it will be pretty obvious to anyone around the school that something is not right. Financially, there must be a lot of money being spent on recruitment and induction training. Presumably Head of Year and Subject Specialists have been changing regularly. Governors should be meeting some of these people on a cyclical basis. And parents will know about 3 teachers in one year. So I'd say the GB are aware of a problem. If they are not aware of it already, then they are not a very good GB. Not sure what else to say
    Parents are horrified and have complained regularly, they were told they had a right to A teacher in the class they did not have a right to say which one!!! Anyone in senior management has been there for years it is only teachers and support staff that change so regularly. COST is a nightmare as a lot end up going off with stress for weeks, due to the bullying, before leaving. It is a joke; which is why I am reluctant to write to governors. If they were going to act they don't need to wait for evidence from me! The numbers speak for themselves.
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