Being the national Mental Health day today got me wondering about Marton. I don't know how true it is but I have heard 'through the grapevine' that once again Marton has more than its fair share of supply teachers. One year ago saw the school with its largest ever number of supplies so things do not seem to be changing much.
I wonder how many of the current absences are due to 'stress' related issues - I know for sure that some of those absences last year were.
This is what the NHS has to say on the subject :-
"Work-related stress is a symptom of an organisational problem, not an individual weakness."(UK National Health Service)
"Stress cannot be eliminated by individual teachers "taking up hobbies" or adopting "coping strategies" as is sometimes suggested.
Employers are legally required to take action on stress. They have a general legal duty of care under the UK Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. They also have a specific duty under the UK Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 to undertake risk assessments for potential risks including stress.
The UK Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require a teacher (employee) to tell the employer about any shortcomings in their health and safety arrangements. This includes issues related to work-related stress. It requires a partnership between the teacher and the senior management team based on honesty and trust. "
Looking at posts of this forum, what we know of the current situation at the school and the way that Mrs Coupe has behaved over the last two years I don't think I need to comment any further on the above.
Wouldn't it be really useful if we could obtain records of the 14 years Marton has been open, of the number of supply teachers employed and the numbers of teachers absent through stress related illnesses at any given time. Now I am sure that would really tell a story !
JACKIE
Staff stress
More staff are leaving at half term, one of whom has been there since the school opened. The head has now realised that with all the children who have been removed from the school, there is a shortage of money. She has told staff that there is no money to replace the people who are leaving.
I was also upset that the head read out a letter to staff in a meeting, saying that things were being leaked onto the website about staff trying to leave. I am only stating facts. The staff are more divided than ever before and so many are trying to find a way out. More staff are going off sick by the day. It is laughable that Ofsted said there were divisions in senior management. What would they say if they came in now? Probably that there are divisions throughout the school at every level. There were hardly any staff at the Halloween celebration on Friday, despite the head asking individuals to attend.
HM
Staff leaving
Your post just fills me with sadness, Jackie.
As for 'leaking', anyone has the right to comment freely about the situation at Marton, on this forum - including any of the school management and governors. Of course, Mrs Coupe attempting to censor all information coming out of the school comes as no surprise, as this has been part of her management style.
