A school is a business - yes! However, in this business the end result is not about profit, winners or margins, but children's well-being and education. Yes, maybe Mrs Coupe in your eyes is a good business manager? If so, then perhaps she should leave education and apply for a role in BBC's 'The Apprentice'!
Have you thought that some staff may have been reluctant to support Mrs Alderson because they were simply scared of a bullying boss! After seeing what she had done to Mrs Alderson - who can blame them!! Remember these people are dedicated teachers with a life, mortage, overdraft and student loans etc..
I am still waiting for someone to tell me why Mrs Alderson was ever suspended?? For the good of the school??? It was definatly not benefiical for any child's education!
A bully is a bully and there are enough of those in schools. God help your staff and their morale if you rate Mrs Coupe as a good manger. Thank god I have no children attending this or indeed any other school in this LEA!!!
Shameful!! Lots of people involved in ALL aspects of this should be hanging their heads in shame!
S.Hall, I find your post's very interesting, in a previous post you suggest that staff could move shools if they so wished, well look at it this way, if you were seen as a problem teacher , the head could do everything in their power to KEEP you at school,if any prospective new employer wanted a reference from your current employer,they would no doubt make a call and get the information they required ,yet,bearing in mind you may have been seen as a problem member of staff,do you really think the head is going to give you a glowing reference to move on and further your career?
The only way to get the reference which would allow you to move on, would be to support the head at every opportunity even though deep down you might be aware that there are thing's going on that are not right !!
David Lund stated last October on Radio Wave that the staff supported the head 100%, oh how wrong he was, it was a nice litle public relations exercise,which backfired, then Mr Turner was critised on this board by members of staff for his remarks regarding John Bamborough, so I think its fair to say theat Marton is far from united
You say school is a business,well I have to disagree here, maybe at Progress House,,where they have to spend their budgets and account for every penny they spend, but the education of the children must be an absolute priority,this should come first before anybodies personal career development.I ALONG WITH MANY MANY OTHERS ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR EXACTLY WHAT MRS ALDERSON IS ALLEGED TO HAVE DONE !! as my child was taught by Mrs A in his last year,
Finally, just because staff do not OPENLY criticise the Head, doesn't mean that everyone is happy, unless Mrs Coupe is aware of all the staff who indeed are genuinly unhappy at Marton,then she had better tread carefully,as a wounded animal may still be capable of some nasty kicks !
Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2006 11:57 am Post subject: Confused Posters
Well Wayne and Stan you clealry don't know how education works these days.
Wayne, a good reference to get rid of a problem teacher is just what a headteacher would do !! Do you think heads want to be stuck with staff they don't want - giving them good references to move them away from the school is one of the best ways to do it. It is never a good idea to be in the headteacher's pocket - for the reasons you mentioned. Get on the head's nerves and you can be sure of promotion elsewhere.
As for schools being run as businesses both of you - we have Mr Blair to thank for that - you're a bit naive if you don't see it. Targets and budget are the government's two criteria for good schools, you only need to look at an Ofsted report to realise that. Mr Blair's new reforms take it even further - moving schools out of any local authority control or monitoring. Your naive view of educational aims were lost long ago - we need to prepare children for a modern society now. That's what Mrs Coupe will be trying to do - not 'mollycoddling' them. Money is devolved straight to the headteacher and governors now to spend, not through the LEA. If Mrs Alderson moves on, then Mrs Coupe can employ a cheaper teacher such as a newly qualified one - good financial sense. You watch - I expect there will be more young teachers at Marton soon, in that way Mrs Coupe will be making savings on staff salaries.
Now Stan - staff being bullied by Mrs Coupe ? I said earlier it is up to staff to stand together. If they don't, then they only have themselves to blame. A united staff could not be bullied by one headteacher. If the staff had stood together would Mrs Alderson's case have gone on so long ? I don't think so. I think many of you on this forum have ignored the role played by some of the staff when you have criticised Mrs Coupe.
As an assistant head teacher for 7 years I really hope I do know how education is these days!!!
Obviously not!! So Mrs Coupe is preparing children for the real world - laughable!!! I'd love to see one of her PSHCE lessons!
We can teach children to be assertive and dynamic and hard-working without teaching them how to bully! Trust me I have spent the last 13 years of my life in an inner city school doing just that! I certainly prepare children for the real world and I am pretty sure that Mrs Alderson didn't wrap her year six children in cotton wool !!
Yes, a new NQT may be cheap and enthusiastic. Yet with so many people falling into teaching it's a big gamble. However, I am sure that they will certainly become another "yes" person... Even with a cheaper NQT it will take a fair few years to readdress the amount this suspension cost!
Criteria for good schools???
School's who are obsessive about targets is all about passe anyway! League tables --- yawn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday's news!!
Ofsted and Dfes are now keen on a curriculum which is enjoyable, fun and creative... They want happy children who can communcicate and be honest about their school...
Maybe it is you who is stucking the 90's sir... Get reading some recent Ofsted reports!!
PS - Have you ever seen Mrs Alderson teach??? My, my this new NQT better be good.........
S Hall, Firstly I must agree with you on a couple of points,you are correct in stating that I do not know how Education works these days,and for the past twelve months or more there are a hell of a lot of other parents and ex parents of Matron who have no idea either !!!!!!!!
I do accept your point regarding a Headteacher giving a good reference to a colleague to get them from under their feet, but that certainly is not the norm,you will find that in situation's of conflict,managers/supervisors etc will just as easily put a spanner in the works to frustrate a colleagues hopes of promotion,from experience, word of mouth is worth far more than words on paper !!
As for being in the Headteachers pocket, well if you are the benefitiary of better working condition's whether by way of trainng courses/pay rises/priveledges etc (and most of us have experienced them from time to time) then why not get close to the Head/manager/supervisor, lets face it ,you keep bringing the Labour party into this forum and it seems to work for "two jags".
You state that "Your naive view of educational aims were lost long ago - we need to prepare children for a modern society now." Try telling that to the parents of the Year six children who have had more than 5 teachers in one school year.
You then go on to criticise some of the staff for not supporting Mrs Alderson,well I fully agree,it would have been nice for all the staff to stand united but if you read earlier post's on this subject you may become more familiar with the reason's which some staff remained silent,we all have our bills to pay at the end of the day, and sometimes principles come at a very high price.
Finally, in all walks of life people who manage authority have to be open and honest, I feel in this sorry saga, there is lots to question, we can only hope that we get to the bottom of many allegation's and incorrect information that have been put out to keep the parent's at bay, Marton has lost an excellent teacher this year,for reasons unknown, I don't think there will be any WINNERS when the curtain finally comes down on the whole pantomime
Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:55 pm Post subject: League Tables
I'm not sure you're right about league tables Stan. Look how many Primary schools do booster classes to get better SATs - after school, saturdays and even in school holidays. Money is still being put into schools to run booster classes so there seem to be contradictory messages if what you say about Ofsted is true. Marton's own Ofsted said it was 'underachieving' (judged by sats) and 'not providing value for money' - so we can see where their priorities were - Sats and finances.
I heard that Mrs Coupe even took booster classes herself during the school Easter holidays, so that staff didn't lose their holidays. How many other headteachers would have done that ? She even got funding from the authority, or out of school budget, so that someone from the authority could help her. Why didn't she 'bully' a member of staff to do it for her ?
In the past I have done booster classes - and beleive me I would be suprised if she has done them for free!! The going rate is extra cash ot time in lieu.
What may be more of a concern is that she had to do them!! As a year six teacher they are usually a sign of panic! Als while in year six teacher I always wanted to teach them myself, especially as I had taught the class all year... Why didn't the present year 6 teachers take booster classes?????????????? Hmmmmmmmmm..
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