Ofsted

[Guest]

Hi,

As many of you know I have been off sick since February half term and am meant to be having a phased return to school. However I was due to meet the Headteacher today to discuss how this will work. This morning got a phone call from my headteacher to say could we postpone the meeting as OFSTED have phoned and are coming in on Wednesday. Now I know that I should be feeling relieved that I won't be there during the inspection but I don't I just feel as if by being off I am letting the school down. The rational part of me says "It's the head's problem and if she had got the paper work sorted I would have been there and anyway why put myself through all the extra stress" but the other side of me feels very guilty at not being there to support and work alongside my colleagues and to not show that I am a good or OK teacher. I guess all I can do is drop some biscuits in for Wednesday and Thursday and keep all the staff in my thoughts and prayers, I can't go into school during or before the inspection because my phased return hasn't started or been agreed yet.

Sorry if this sounds silly but just needed to share my thoughts with people who will understand where I am coming from.

 

Nicky Sussex

[Gezabel]

Hi,

As many of you know I have been off sick since February half term and am meant to be having a phased return to school. However I was due to meet the Headteacher today to discuss how this will work. This morning got a phone call from my headteacher to say could we postpone the meeting as OFSTED have phoned and are coming in on Wednesday. Now I know that I should be feeling relieved that I won't be there during the inspection but I don't I just feel as if by being off I am letting the school down. The rational part of me says "It's the head's problem and if she had got the paper work sorted I would have been there and anyway why put myself through all the extra stress" but the other side of me feels very guilty at not being there to support and work alongside my colleagues and to not show that I am a good or OK teacher. I guess all I can do is drop some biscuits in for Wednesday and Thursday and keep all the staff in my thoughts and prayers, I can't go into school during or before the inspection because my phased return hasn't started or been agreed yet.

Sorry if this sounds silly but just needed to share my thoughts with people who will understand where I am coming from.

 

Nicky Sussex

 

Hi NIcky

First of all you do not sound silly! I think the thoughts you express illustrate that you are passionate about teaching and care very much about the pupils and the school as a whole.

 

Your current situation is not your doing and as you say if the Head had organised the paperwork then maybe your phased return to work would have been sorted by now.

 

I really do understand your feelings of letting the school down - last September I felt the same. The day before the start of the new term I came down with shingles - I was off for three weeks and spent much of the time tormenting myself , feeling guilty about not being there, all the new little starters etc etc but the reality was I couldn't be there! I didn't choose to get shingle any more than you chose to be where you are now.

 

I don't really feel I am being helpful or supportive but I see 34 views and no replies so far so thought I would try as I really do empathise with you.

Hang on in there, stop tormenting yourself (easier said than done) and popping in with biccies later in the week sounds ideal

[sunnyday]

Hi Nicky

 

Not at all silly - I understand completely - but that said.........you must not feel guilty, you are on sick leave for a very good reason, biscuits, chocs, thoughts and prayers all sound very good to me!

 

Stop stressing right now - that's an order!!!

[Helen]

I agree; you mustn't feel guilty. Everyone will understand why you are not there, and I think your idea of taking in some biscuits is really sweet and I'm sure will be appreciated.

 

I missed both the Ofsted inspections at my school when I was on maternity leave both times! I had to put up with lots of "amusing" comments from my colleagues. I'd also had three months off during the second trimester due to an outbreak of "slapped cheek" syndrome, and was told my my doctor I couldn't go into school. So, I know exactly how you feel about not taking your share of the workload, but it really can't be helped. Stop worrying!

[Guest]

hello Nicky

It is only natural that you should feel a little guilty about the situation but you must stop it!!!

You have been through a rough time and from what I have read you appear to be on the road to feeling better. The worse thing you can do now is worry about the big O when your not even in work , your work mates will get through it without you and you should just think about your plans to get back in slowly as planned. Look after yourself,Unsworth

[Guest]

You are not silly and i dont know a teacher who does not spend his/her night feeling guilty about something or other!

 

You should try not to worry because that is not going to get you feeling better any quicker x

as the french say 'cest la vie' x

[KST]

Nothing more to add other than I agree with everyone elses comments! Totally understand why you feel like this though but no one at school will think you are letting them down as you're not! Take care! x

[Guest]

I guess all I can do is drop some biscuits in for Wednesday and Thursday and keep all the staff in my thoughts and prayers, I can't go into school during or before the inspection because my phased return hasn't started or been agreed yet.

Sorry if this sounds silly but just needed to share my thoughts with people who will understand where I am coming from.

 

Nicky Sussex

Hi Nicky!

 

I bet the Head wishes she'd sorted out your phased return sooner now

 

You can be there in spirit, provide the emergency biscuit supplies and support the "recovery process" when Mrs O has left the building!

 

Try not to feel guilty, and count your blessings about your narrow escape

 

Nona

[dublinbay]

I agree with everyone else's comments. No need to feel guilty and I'm sure your colleagues would think the same.

 

The inspection will happen with or without you........I know which I'd prefer.

 

Glad to see you're well enough to return to work......take care.

[Guest]

Hi,

Well i popped in with a tin of biscuits and a card today. I also took in my co-ordinator file, although I wasn't asked to as I felt it might help answer any questions that I might have been asked. I saw the Head who thanked me so much for thinking of doin that and then asked would it be possible (but only if I felt ok) to write 4 action plans based on school developemtn priorities for Reception. I said i would see what I could get done so have made them as straight forward as possible and made them things that I would like to develop in the future so under developing observations I mentioned developing the TA's skills and making observations feed into PLODS and into planning etc.

Now all I can do is wait and see how things go tomorrow and Thursday but it did actually feel quite good to be able to walk out and not have to stay and be involved.

Thanks for understanding yesterday

Nicky Sussex

[catma]

Nikki, It will all come and go with or without any of us!! I think it's good to be able to feel dispensable really, nowhere should be reliant on any individual being there to function. I was the DHT and missed an Ofsted through long term sick - to be honest I didn't let guilt bother me. I was sick and not in work! Don't let guilt sucker you into doing things "out of kindness" - there should be others who can take on the necessary tasks while you are not there - least of all the HT who's job it is to manage the situation!!!!

 

I know it's hard, from experience, but I can honestly say, also from experience that you need to stick to your guns and don't let them make you feel that you have to do things before you are ready through some guilt tripping comments!!!

 

The measure of a good school is how they build sustainability and capacity to manage when people aren't there!!

 

Cx

[Guest]

Hi,

Well it has been and gone and I don't know how the school has done yet but I did get a panicky (on her part) phone call from the head this morning asking if I knew where a spreadsheet we use to track the children was as the disk she had given the inspector was blank. I sent that disk in, in February so it obviously hasn't been looked at since then or she would not have given it to the inspector. I knew exactly where to find it and rang back giving instructions to the ICT technician who was in school and he found the master copy of it on my laptop. (Will try to remember this in future if I feel worried about being asked for something immediately, that maybe my view of immediately and the Head's is different ans she may not even look at things once they are handed to her!!!!! .)

 

I have a meeting planned for tomorrow morning to discuss a phased return to work. It has been suggested by Oc health that this is spread over 4 weeks. Any thing important that people can think of that I need to ask about this apart from the obvious things like what will I be doing and what is expected of me during this time and what support is there if I am concerned about anything.

 

Thanks

Nicky Sussex

[catma]

length of day, will return be full days or made up of half days building up - e.g. all mornings then some half/full or is it full days building up. You can be very tired when you return as it is a bit like starting a job but more emotional.

 

Clarify exactly what duties you are picking up in those days

 

expected attendance at what meetings?

 

% of PPA in relation to hours worked while on phased return? You might want to chack with your union re this.

 

exactly who is going to be available for you to feedback to and WHEN. It's no good saying the DHT will support you if they are forever in class or in meetings for example. Get a fixed time for review meetings each week.

 

A return to work meeting - someone to update you with all the things that have been implemented/changed/expected since you were last in school. If they were planing for Ofsted this could be quite significant.

 

Agreement there should be no observations of any kind while you are returning to work - you need time to settle back into your routine and find your feet

 

Sickness absence record - when I was last in this situation days in the week not worked were counted as sick as you are technically "off work" because of sickness. Clarify the situation as it can impact on your sickness record unknowingly.

 

Can you tell I've been there and got the T shirt!!!!!

 

Cx