Guest Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Am feeling very sad today, after conversation with my head. Background - I'm the coordinator and nursery class teacher at my school. Our EYFS dept has always been split due to building constraints with my nursery and 1 F2 class together by our outdoor area and the other F2 class at the opposite end of school. Following our OfSted inspection last Feb we have managed to get a new (albeit) mobile classroom built to adjoin our outdoor area (which has actually got us more outdoor space too - added bonus!!). This is now going to be my room for the nursery children and the 2 F2 classes are going to work as 1 in the 2 adjoining rooms. Brilliant scenario as far as we are all concerned as now we all have great access to outdoors and therefore free-flow in and out can happen for all children. The only problem is, is that I'm off work with a bad back, following an ice slide, and now the head has said they are going to move in...without me. I can't believe it, after all I'm the one who has been doing all the reading into layouts and communication friendly spaces etc. Now I don't get to do it. When I go back I'm going to have to completely move everything around, because I know it will be nothing like how I have been envisaging (sp??!). They also seem to think that all the furniture, resources, equipment can be moved, and cloakroom labelled and room set up ready for the children in half a day!?!?!? Apparently other staff (ie: TAs) are going to brought in so that the dept staff can get on. Then the F2 teacher has got to move up (from the other end of school) in her own time (ie: moved and set up for kids in the 1 3/4 hrs after school). Has the world gone mad or is it just me?!?! Thanks for listening and sorry to rant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 You can always rearrange things when your back is better. Hope you are soon well enough to fulfil your vision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 oh dear thats sad - but im sure it will all work out fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Laila, sorry to hear that you have that frustration to deal with on top of your bad back. Can you not email some plans in? I'm sure I would be feeling as you do but its difficult to put that sort of thing on hold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 (edited) I know just how you feel and can fully understand your flustration. After 20 years at a 1930's school 13 of them in the nursery I was placed in reception class for a year when we merged with another school with a new purpose built nursery. I have never felt the ownership of it although I have now had 2 years in the nursery. It sounds very unreallistic the expections of your head. This is a massive job. It does sound like you will get in there at some point in the future so hang onto that. Can you give them a floor plan of what you had in mind for furniture/ area placement. The moving in is so unrealistic I'm sure when you get there will still be loads to do and you be able to have ownship of your space. Edited February 1, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublinbay Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Best wishes for a speedy recovery.........you never know...things may not turn out as badly as you expect. It's probably very hard but you need to think about yourself and get better first. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Thank you all for the lovely replies. I know I'll be able to sort it when I get back, its just seems that at every step of the way my input has not been sought and when I've given it, it has been completely overlooked. The head was even trying to tell me where the book corner and home corner could go, so that it "funnelled" the children straight to the carpet. We don't come in and sit straight down at the start of a session, so why would I want the children funnelled there!!! I have a tendency to change things around anyway, so at least the children won't be too affected when I get back and have a shift-around. I have discussed a basic idea of floor plan with my nursery nurse, but we have clashing views on environments! Have done lots of reading into communication friendly spaces and colours etc. When asked what colour worktops should be put in, her response was 'bright and colourful', mine was 'natural wood please'! I can see I'm going to be taking down bright red and yellow backing paper, as haven't had the meeting time to do work on the latest research! Thank you all again for listening and replying. Ps: dublinbay - I'm in Leicester too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I sneaked into school today just for a brief look at what had been done in the move and I really wish I hadn't. The head has put a piece of worktop across half of the one complete blank wall that I had, regardless of the fact that I told her not to as it would make the space completely inflexible. Surprise, surprise; a head who doesn't listen and thinks they know best. Ok then if you know best you write the EYFS section of the SEF!!! Quite clearly I know nothing about designing classroom layouts to give best use of space and flexibility in meeting the diverse and varying needs of the children in my class. I'm so annoyed about this. There is no real wall space where I can create 'corners' for CFSs or a cosy book corner, and she's got her funnel with the home corner just where she wanted it! Also the Smartboard is going in a different place in the middle of the wall, making a stupid end bit which will be not good for much. Plus the place is a tip and legally I'm not allowed in this week as officially signed off work. I don't know what to do, except take a chainsaw to the work top!!! And on top of all that, they moved the kids in for 1 lousy day, last Friday. Could that not have waited for that 1 day so I could be there after half-term. I could have understood if they had moved in for 2 or even 1 week before half-term, but to not put it off for 1 day seems like somebody is trying to rub it in my face (this is an attitude I deal with a lot - "We got outstanding as a class last OfSted, now we've only got good" Regardless of the fact that the whole dept moved from good to outstanding in a term and a half of me being the coordinator. Arghhhhh. Sorry to vent, I'm just so cross and can't seem to see a way forward, other than work somewhere else!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Oh dear, how frustrating for you. Try and enjoy the rest of your week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Sorry you are feeling so disappointed how annoying ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbase Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Hi Laila That sounds so frustrating. Maybe it might be good to have a look around at some other jobs. It is so hard work when communication breaks down at work. Either that or a word with a governor or your union to see what can be done to improve things. In difficult times I try and keep the picture of the chldren smiling up at me in my mind and remember they don't change even though everything around them and me does, constantly and too quickly a lot of the time. I try to remember that what i say and do with them is what this job is all about and its the children i try to stay focused on. I find this helps me when im stressed and fed up!! Hope your back gets better real soon..you'll feel much more like your old self once it does and with less time to think about things, they should sort themselves out. Redbase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Thank you...again! I have already been looking at other jobs. Its not at all what I want to do, but you're right when communication breaks down (if it ever existed in the first place!) you are never going to be able to effect change for the better. Unfortunately there aren't any, except for one in an independent school and not sure about that route. I'm supposed to have a validation visit next month as the start of the process to becoming a lead setting and now I really feel like what's the point. I can't change or challenge views in my own school so how can I support others trying to do the same in their schools. I'm going to try and get agreement to getting things moved on Monday, but I don't hold much hope. SIP is in on Tuesday may try that route. Feel very dejected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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