ECT 2 Here, I was sworn at today for the first time by a pupil. I had removed him from the lesson due to repeated disruptions he then started shouting at me explaining why I was wrong to remove him in the process he called me a “fucking mong” as well as a “fucking melon”.
2 questions how common is this in schools these days. And what should the consequences be for the pupil.
I’m currently doing a SCITT secondary English. My Year 8s are a lovely group who are really engaged, and quite able (mid-set). My only issue is constant CONSTANT talking. No matter the warnings, the consequences etc, they just cannot manage to be silent for more than 2 minutes. My school behaviour policy is warning 1, warning 2, negative on ClassCharts plus detention, then escalates from there. Warnings 1 & 2 don’t have much of an impact because they know they sort of have 2 chances before a consequence.
Their lessons include opportunities for turn and talk etc, but I’m at a loss for what to do to just get them to be quiet! Even when I’m giving instructions they are talking or making random noises or humming. If a student asks me a question and I begin answering, the rest of them take that as a free pass to talk! It’s so difficult when it is such a large proportion of the class too, because I can’t always identify who it is exactly that’s talking
If anyone has any strategies (currently following school behaviour policy, trying to do positive framing etc) that help curb the constant chatting, it would be much appreciated! ☺️
I recently started as SLT at a school with declining numbers (we have 94) in a rural church school in Kent, while small classes are great for wellbeing, we desperately need to get numbers up otherwise we're going to struggle. I'm trying to think of what I can do to help (I know it's the head's job but he seems very stressed by it and I want to help) - any suggestions?
A bit of advice if possible before making a decision.
Wife looked like she was entering early labour in the early hours of yesterday morning so I called in early and decided to begin my paternity leave.
More than 24 hours on and things have definitely stalled, small to no contractions for a good while and I feel like I'm really eating into my paternity leave when really, I should be back at work and save the leave for when I need to be there to support mother and baby post birth.
Could I call theae last 2 days dependency days and return back tomorrow before taking leave again when absolutely necessary?
Newly trained special needs teaching assistant here. I am just a 20 year old woman - when I started working for my agency I asked to just work with primary school aged children (max age 11). As I feel this is the most appropriate for all parties involved. Yesterday, I was sent to work in a class that was missing 4 permanent staff. I had never worked in this specific class before as it’s very high needs. Its specialist autism (the toughest pathway) and all of the students within are non verbal and can get very violent due to their strength. The boys were aged 16-18 ish, most of them around 6ft or taller.
the class teacher firstly had an awful standoffish attitude. She kept talking to other staff about how she’s got 3 unfamiliar staff in (3 supply staff were sent to help out, me included). She said this over the radios constantly and would also whisper about how ridiculous it is to other staff. I understand it is not ideal that we don’t know the students, but we were there to help and if we weren’t there, half of the students would have been sent home.
aside from the tense atmosphere from staff, i was warned about the boys’ tendencies. That they can typically grab staffs throats and choke them, especially if you flinch. One boy will head-but and has sent staff to hospital before. And one boy grabs young womens breasts repeatedly. i was honestly out of my depth being told this, I’ll admit. I’m not trained in physical intervention as I’m supply staff - so Im not allowed to restrain any student if they were to attack me. This made me feel very very unsafe.
As well as this, the teacher ended up leaving the classroom after lunch time and never came back. Not sure what she had to do, but we were left with just 3 experienced staff members. Typically they werent keeping close to any of us supply staff and left us outside in the play area with the boys. so if we were to be attacked if the boys became dysregulaged - we had no support and would not legally be allowed to restrain them.
it was overall VERY concerning. and although im very prideful about being good at my job - i felt completely unequipped for this class and i felt as though it was completely inappropriate.
should I speak to my manager/the school about this and put my foot down about it not happening again. Or am I overreacting?
Hi all!
I (25F) am a supply TA (been practicing since March 2026) and I have recently been put on a long term placement. I have worked with a lot of SEND students, in a lot of SEN hubs, and while I was worried at first (as I myself am AuDHD), I found to really enjoy it. I am the sole TA of a mixed Y3/4 class for the next 3 months (I was told the last TA is off in sickness and likely not to return, the school asked for me ‘and only me’ in the words of my agent, and she said that it’s highly likely they’ll want to offer me the position permanently).
I have met the teacher, and she is really lovely, but I could tell she was overwhelmed. She is a great teacher, but there simply isn’t enough staff for the needs of the class. From over 30 students, about a third work at Year 1-2 level, some refuse to work at all, and at least 4 students would benefit from learning in a SEN hub, from my experience, or at least a 1-1. The thing is, I am not their 1-1. I am a TA for the entire class. I have to take them out to do their work, and come back in to help the other students that are behind, and then help the students that are at the right level but need some help. I have started shortening my break to try to not fall behind.
The regular clapping does not work for silencing the class, they will talk over the teacher, but especially me. I think I am quite a stern TA, but also understanding and I can get my students to understand something if they can give me the time of day. The level of noise is so bad that:
The children that struggle with sensory overload cannot do their work, even though they really want to.
We simply cannot enforce certain consequences because we cannot tell who is talking from such a big class.
It eggs everyone else on to keep talking, it makes it easy for children to be off task because we spend so much time managing the behaviour.
On my first day, I could tell my teacher was overwhelmed, so I asked her if instead of giving Dojos, we can take them away. It shows a real consequence for bad behaviour. They can get a chance to win them back, I am not a monster and I don’t want to see Y3 kids upset, but it becomes impossible to hold a lesson too often. I thought, if we enforce this for a week or so, we will see a difference in behaviour and they will adjust. It will get to a point where it won’t be necessary.
We only did it for the first day, the next day I came back, I was told by a child that we don’t take away Dojos anymore because it’s too mean. Now, the consequence is playtime taken away. Except, it’s never enforced, and the children know this. They know they can get away with things, and they even mock me at times. I’ve asked children to quiet down, they look at me, and they keep talking. I’m not really sure what to do anymore. It is a school wide issue.
I want to go into work earlier tomorrow and talk to my teacher, but my intention is never to undermine or judge, just to help. I want things to change and I want to make a difference, to make the teacher’s life easier, to help the kids succeed. The first day, I felt like it could be possible. Now, things feel very bleak. I’ve started to stress pick at my chin and hair, I nearly cried during my break. There are so many things I want to say, but I don’t want them to come across the wrong way. English is not my first language, and other than college, BA and MA level, I’ve not gone to school in the UK, I’ve never experienced primary school here so I’ve learned everything as I have gone, and I think I did a good job.
My question is:
What can I say to the class teacher to help this situation? I know that threatening a consequence and not enforcing it is the worst thing you can do, but I don’t want to sound patronising. I just want to help. It makes me feel better, and it would help everyone else, too.
Thank you in advance!