Darwen Vale school closed as teachers strike (From Lancashire Telegraph)

just close down the school

“My main priority is around the wellbeing and education of our pupils and the best interests of the school.

"I want to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.

“I am disappointed that the trade unions have chosen to take this action.

Hilary Horpey


Ms Torpey has no concerns for her staff whilst she is putting them through disciplinary procedures as a result of false allegations by pupils. She continues to waste hours of the management's time, as well as that of personnel staff, parents and pupils.
what kind of headteacher believes there is substance to ludicrous allegations by unruly pupils over the word of professional, reliable adults.
The trade unions have decided to take this action because it is the action 95 percent of the teaching staff want to take. Why should staff put up with this kind of lack of support? There is no exaggeration about the scale of the problem at this school. The incompetence of the management of this school needs to be exposed through the national news!

“My main priority is around the wellbeing and education of our pupils and the best interests of the school.

"I want to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.

“I am disappointed that the trade unions have chosen to take this action.

Hilary Horpey


Ms Torpey has no concerns for her staff whilst she is putting them through disciplinary procedures as a result of false allegations by pupils. She continues to waste hours of the management's time, as well as that of personnel staff, parents and pupils.
what kind of headteacher believes there is substance to ludicrous allegations by unruly pupils over the word of professional, reliable adults.
The trade unions have decided to take this action because it is the action 95 percent of the teaching staff want to take. Why should staff put up with this kind of lack of support? There is no exaggeration about the scale of the problem at this school. The incompetence of the management of this school needs to be exposed through the national news!

my daughter is at darwen vale high school and she loves the school. they have had to deal with the passing of there late head teacher,mrs dunning, who really changed the school for the better, yes some people do behave inappropiately occasionally, but what school doesnt have pupils like that, (they had them at my old school )im proud to say that my daughter is a member of darwen vale school and she feels that everything is blown out of proportion and just wants everyone to know how very much all the pupils appreciate the education at her school and she hopes that all this doesnt give her school a bad label. all the year 11 students are predicted to leave darwen vale with the highest grades recorded at darwen vale. she has had people pass away (head teacher)some teachers have left or retired and the move from there old school to moorland school i think the pupils have coped very well considering the circumstances. im also very proud of my daughter who has already been offered a job and starts when she leaves school in june.now how many people can say that about getting a job. (one very proud parent.)

I'm glad that you are a proud parent George.
Though just because your daughter is worthy of your pride doesn't mean there isn't a problem.
I am astonished at some of the behaviour I see by the kids coming out of that school compared to what it was like when I was there 20 years ago.
If 95 percent of the teachers think that there is a problem then one has to assume that there is.

Wouldn't like to be in her shoes right now. Maybe, though - they'd be good shoes for someone on about 70k a year and money left for a drink or two, especially these last few weeks. Time to go, like that other headmistress last year.

They were discussing this on 5-Live radio this morning, from 10.00am.
Simon Huggill, councillor and governor, went on national radio and claimed that because the school is built on a hill, it gets lashed with bad weather and that's what makes the pupils disruptive.
Class.

Something not just right here as I stated in the last forum. Last weekit was because of unruly pupils according to the LET. This week it is for the lack of backing by management. Could it be the head is cracking the whip and the teachers do not like it or just a clash of personalities. If so called well educated pillars of society cannot get round a table and thrash out a solution then there is little hope for the less well educated. Complete joke.

Mind you it is the start of the Ryder Cup and Grand National weekend, perhaps they need peace to study form.

Dai Darwen wrote:
Something not just right here as I stated in the last forum. Last weekit was because of unruly pupils according to the LET. This week it is for the lack of backing by management. Could it be the head is cracking the whip and the teachers do not like it or just a clash of personalities. If so called well educated pillars of society cannot get round a table and thrash out a solution then there is little hope for the less well educated. Complete joke.

old chap - its the head not cracking the whip....that's the problem.
.
she is viewed as effective as the proverbial chocolate teapot.
.
if the teachers dont get the backing for disciplinary action - then they are impotent

Noswaith dda, Dai!

Well..... the school Governor is blaming the weather on the behaviour of pupils.
Ermmm...it's not Narnia and lets remember that Moorland's staff never felt the need for industrial action because its pupils were out of control( and they were educated on said 'hill top'for years!!!!)

happycyclist wrote:
They were discussing this on 5-Live radio this morning, from 10.00am. Simon Huggill, councillor and governor, went on national radio and claimed that because the school is built on a hill, it gets lashed with bad weather and that's what makes the pupils disruptive. Class.

well said happycyclist: -
This is the same Governor (Coun Huggill) who wasted nearly £1m of taxpayers money in trying to stop the new Darwen Academy at Sudell Rd. He wanted it located at (you've guessed it), on the wind lashed site ! Is he on this planet ??

Graham Hartley wrote:
Noswaith dda, Dai!

you would say that

After working at the school I understand what everyone is saying. There is a distinct difference in the atmosphere in and around school since September. The rules change on a daily basis, most of them in favour of the pupils. I was taught to deal with the small things and the big issues won't happen - Now you just dont deal with anything. I used to love this school and i thought i would work there forever. Oh how things have changed since the new head started.

LOL, were they really blaming it on the weather?

Have the kids only just moved to Darwen then?

the Kids need to be taught some respect

I blame the parents and upbringing!

I was at the school from 1971 to 1978. Pupils dare not have acted up with the teachers in those days. Does anyone remember "Ma Sharples"? Blimey she was a dragon! Nobody messed about in her class!!
Teachers today spend most of their time trying to control the class rather than teach.
George 69 says the pupils are now getting the best ever grades at the school. This is difficult to prove when the exams are much easier. Let them try doing the exam papers from the 70's and then see how good they really are.

My 'other-half' taught at the school and she said it had some of the worst behaved children she had ever encountered.
This little trolls ought to be 'weeded out', expelled and the school left for those children that wish to learn.
The parents of these children ought to be ashamed, as usual it is the classic case of over-indulgence and being afraid to say NO to their 'little treasures'.

Teacher10 wrote:
“My main priority is around the wellbeing and education of our pupils and the best interests of the school. "I want to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum. “I am disappointed that the trade unions have chosen to take this action. Hilary Horpey Ms Torpey has no concerns for her staff whilst she is putting them through disciplinary procedures as a result of false allegations by pupils. She continues to waste hours of the management's time, as well as that of personnel staff, parents and pupils. what kind of headteacher believes there is substance to ludicrous allegations by unruly pupils over the word of professional, reliable adults. The trade unions have decided to take this action because it is the action 95 percent of the teaching staff want to take. Why should staff put up with this kind of lack of support? There is no exaggeration about the scale of the problem at this school. The incompetence of the management of this school needs to be exposed through the national news!

An allegation can only be found to be false after it has been investigated.
.
"what kind of headteacher believes there is substance to ludicrous allegations by unruly pupils over the word of professional, reliable adults".
.
What kind of headteacher automatically dismisses allegations because they come from an unruly pupil and the teacher in question denies it?

Dai Darwen wrote:
Something not just right here as I stated in the last forum. Last weekit was because of unruly pupils according to the LET. This week it is for the lack of backing by management. Could it be the head is cracking the whip and the teachers do not like it or just a clash of personalities. If so called well educated pillars of society cannot get round a table and thrash out a solution then there is little hope for the less well educated. Complete joke.

Did you take the time to read the reports properly?
The staff want to strike because of the behaviour of the pupils AND the lack of support from the Head when they try to do something about the behaviour.
How many hours do you work a week?
You obviously have time to study the racing forms- teachers spend alot of their time marking and writing detailed lesson plans.

Did you take the time to read the reports properly?
The staff want to strike because of the behaviour of the pupils AND the lack of support from the Head when they try to do something about the behaviour.
How many hours do you work a week?
You obviously have time to study the racing forms- teachers spend alot of their time marking and writing detailed lesson plans.

The governors and staff at this school seriously need to get a back bone. If a certain pupil is constantly being unruly and disrupting the learning of others, find them another school! Why should bright kids suffer at the constant disturbance from classmates who do not care about their future? Why should teachers who are paid to deliver a first class education have to put up with abuse from teenagers who they’re trying to help succeed in the world of work?
I know for a fact that this kind of behaviour would not even be dreamt of at schools such as Canon Slade and Saint Wilfrid’s, as the teachers there literally will not put up with such behaviour!

teachit wrote:
Did you take the time to read the reports properly? The staff want to strike because of the behaviour of the pupils AND the lack of support from the Head when they try to do something about the behaviour. How many hours do you work a week? You obviously have time to study the racing forms- teachers spend alot of their time marking and writing detailed lesson plans.

Well said teachit. It really annoys me that when things like this happen its always because we 'want time off' and in this case to study the form for Aintree and the Ryder Cup.
It also annoys me that when this kind of thing happens it's because the teachers can't control the children. It's not about that. The children are far too familiar these days with rules, rights and responsibilities. They know what the rules are and they choose to flaunt them. They know their rights and that when they choose to misbehave we have no right to stop them. They also know that we have a responsibility to teach them regardless of their behaviour. The whole thing is just a vicious circle and that circle can be made complete or broken by an effective management team! There's nothing worse than you trying to uphold the rules of an establishment, decided on as a unitary staff, and then being undermined by the person at the top who wants to keep the peace by 'giving in'. If you back track on the small rules then it's a matter of time before the snowball gets bigger and this may be the case of what has happened here.

It's not all the children, but as I said before, it's their upbringing and role models they have at home. Being a teacher in a primary school myself, I can honestly say (again just like I did before) that this is the case of most schools these days except Darwen Vale has decided to act on something hopefully addressing a situation that could become very dangerous to those children who aren't involved.

Everyone has
-the right to learn
-the right to feel safe
-the right be respected...

... no matter who they are!

Well done Darwen Vale teaching staff, for standing up for something you truely believe in. There should be more people like you who stand up for what they believe in!

At the last Ofsted inspection in June 2010, the Darwen Vale school was rated as a good school where behavior, the study and performance of pupils is considered positive.
A strike organized by professors creates difficulties for pupils and above inconvenience.Curren
tly, pupils are being taught temporarily at former Holden Fold school buildings, which have a capacity of only 800
Reopen the school, students must have the option of continuing their studies.
http://www.petitiono
nline.co.uk/petition
/reopen-the-school-d
arwen-vale/2657

emma.mi wrote:
At the last Ofsted inspection in June 2010, the Darwen Vale school was rated as a good school where behavior, the study and performance of pupils is considered positive. A strike organized by professors creates difficulties for pupils and above inconvenience.Curren tly, pupils are being taught temporarily at former Holden Fold school buildings, which have a capacity of only 800 Reopen the school, students must have the option of continuing their studies. http://www.petitiono nline.co.uk/petition /reopen-the-school-d arwen-vale/2657

Im not sure i understand the point of this post???

They cant go back to their own building it's a bombsite!

Teachers who are totally incapable to hold their audience should be fired. Don't blame the kids, boredom is a killer and causes frustration, hence people will play up.

HU wrote:
the Kids need to be taught some respect

I blame the parents and upbringing!

Well done to the teachers and staff at DV! This lack of discipline all comes down to bad parenting and until something is done to target the parents of unruly schoolchildren, I can only see the problem becoming worse. Obviously, not all the students at DV are unruly but if teachers spend most of their time on crowd control rather than teaching the majority who want to progress, their teaching becomes less effective and everyone suffers as a result. In order for teachers to weed out the troublemakers, there needs to be support from the Head and governors which does not exist there.

mikebuk wrote:
Teachers who are totally incapable to hold their audience should be fired. Don't blame the kids, boredom is a killer and causes frustration, hence people will play up.

Mikebuk, You are obviously part of the problem! Kids have some rights but they have far more duties. Remember that word? DUTY? It is one that has sadly been forgotten by a lot of children, parents and lawmakers today. If I don't work, I don't get paid. Why should it be different for kids? They need to understand that duty comes before rights. Simple!

gudari wrote:

HU wrote:
the Kids need to be taught some respect

I blame the parents and upbringing!

Well done to the teachers and staff at DV! This lack of discipline all comes down to bad parenting and until something is done to target the parents of unruly schoolchildren, I can only see the problem becoming worse. Obviously, not all the students at DV are unruly but if teachers spend most of their time on crowd control rather than teaching the majority who want to progress, their teaching becomes less effective and everyone suffers as a result. In order for teachers to weed out the troublemakers, there needs to be support from the Head and governors which does not exist there.

Very true Gudari

My personal Opinion bring back the cane!
Detentions dont do anything, if anything it makes the kids feel good if they get a Detention Like they done something to be proud of
Humiliate the Kids for being bad, then next time they will think twice!

SIMPLE!

SHAME ON THE HEADTEACHER. Good luck to all the teaching staff and well done for taking this action. If more people put their money where their mouth is, maybe the country wouldn't be in the state it is now.

Until they reintroduce discipline back into schools, there's no hope. Thanks to New Labour, it's almost impossible to expel a pupil these days, as this goes against the inclusive education principal. Without any sanctions, it's inevitable that a minority of the pupils will fast become out of control.

It's the equivalent of an employer telling its workforce that you can arrive late, do no work, fight with your colleagues, vandalise the workplace, but nothing will happen to you and you'll still get paid at the end of the month.

It was going down the pan when I left in the early 90's. Bring back the birch and some ex Army teachers and it would soon get sorted.. laws that 'protect' children in places like Leatherhead, Surrey.. don't work in grim places up north, the bad apples in that school have nothing to lose, not like they'll have their pony taken off them. It's harsh but true.. the birch would sort out the worse offenders and the moderate ones would follow suit - They have nothing to fear, by not punishing them corporally society is making the problem worse for generations to come.

If that was true, GrindletonBob, then we would be seeing action like this at every school. I doubt the pupils are any better or worse than at every other school.

This is a one-off and something is seriously wrong at this particular school. From the statements made, we have a headteacher in denial and a senior governor blaming the problems on the weather.

The governors and management of the school need to have a long hard look at themselves and ask: how has it got to a sitaution where we are the only school in the country where staff are striking for this reason?

to be quite honest it is getting beyond a joke i dont find it fair that the year 11 pupils are missing out on there revision as when we go back after the easter hols we have our exams how do you find this fair i think that mrs torpey should leave and mr lawson should come back i think that we have all dealt with having 3 different head teachers in the past 3 years and the move and stuff but you just need to give us all a chance we are all getting tared with the same brush which i find unfair if you was too ask any pupil from vale they would tell you that there is nothing wrong with the school it is just the same as any other we are getting the education that we need this year we are expected to get the best grades well how do you expect us to do that and darwen vale is going to be labeled with a bad name so we are going to look like the bad guys we are just trying to get used to the new school bring john lawson back

Why don't we all "kid" ourself in the belief that this is the only school with problems - perhaps the only one being reported on though! In all schools there are a minority of pupils who are "out of control". However, the school's exam results are on the up in comparison with another Darwen school. I have a son at the school and in his words - its only a few kids who spoil it for us. My eldest son left the school two years ago and at that time the teachers were constantly texting each other whilst in lessons - what sort of an example is that when the kids get their mobiles taken off them?

I agree that the unruly kids need sorting and the new head should support her team - but lets put it back into proportion and all get back to work!

As to the location - well! I went to that school twenty years ago and it was on the same hill! Perhaps sticking 1,100 kids in a school built for 800 isnt helping and if you have visited the school lately you will know its a cess pit - you wouldn't want your kids to have to go there whilst the new one is being built!

Gerrard10 wrote:
to be quite honest it is getting beyond a joke i dont find it fair that the year 11 pupils are missing out on there revision as when we go back after the easter hols we have our exams how do you find this fair i think that mrs torpey should leave and mr lawson should come back i think that we have all dealt with having 3 different head teachers in the past 3 years and the move and stuff but you just need to give us all a chance we are all getting tared with the same brush which i find unfair if you was too ask any pupil from vale they would tell you that there is nothing wrong with the school it is just the same as any other we are getting the education that we need this year we are expected to get the best grades well how do you expect us to do that and darwen vale is going to be labeled with a bad name so we are going to look like the bad guys we are just trying to get used to the new school bring john lawson back

Bring back punctuation. Why? . . . . 'cos, Gerard, this drivel is hard to read. Wuz yoo eddukated their?

My son is a current pupil at the said school. Since moving to their current location it has become an inept school. The school can't even stop assaults on pupils never mind the teachers.

My son has special needs and has been assaulted and bullied too many times to mention and that was in school in front of teachers!!!!!!!

He finally lost it and hit another pupil who was taunting him in class and was promptly put in isolation. I agree he did wrong and should be punished, but what about his assaults when nothing was done.

Removing year heads and replacing them with Learning Co-ordinators was a pathetic decision.

Moving into an entirely too small school for years and busing the pupils on buses entirely unsupervised was also a ridiculous decision.

My son is a current pupil at the said school. Since moving to their current location it has become an inept school. The school can't even stop assaults on pupils never mind the teachers.

My son has special needs and has been assaulted and bullied too many times to mention and that was in school in front of teachers!!!!!!!

He finally lost it and hit another pupil who was taunting him in class and was promptly put in isolation. I agree he did wrong and should be punished, but what about his assaults when nothing was done.

Removing year heads and replacing them with Learning Co-ordinators was a pathetic decision.

Moving into an entirely too small school for years and busing the pupils on buses entirely unsupervised was also a ridiculous decision.

Darwen,
Unfortunately I don't think this is a one-off. I teach in Scotland and this is a big problem here in certain areas too. The difference with these teachers is that they have had enough and decided it's time to let the public see their difficulties. Such a shame that some of the public will see fit to turn it round and blame the teachers!
Surely everyone can see these are the actions of desperate people who have tried everything to NOT get to this stage. I know how helpless and depressed you can get when management throw it all back to you when you have tried all the accepted strategies, refer the problem to them and they say they think you could do more. Time and time again.
When was the last time teachers went on strike? Things have to be very bad for that to happen. We have a responsibility to children and we take that very seriously therefore strike action is the LAST thing teachers will do.
How about putting the blame at the feet of the right people - those who set the discipline procedures?
It's like blaming the police when criminals get a soft sentence.

My daughter is a teacher at Primary level and has had to leave a permanent position due to bullying by the head and lack of support from the head. I know of two other teachers to which this has happened. I now know that teachers work very very hard up to 80 hours per week. Even some primary students are disruptive and difficult to manage even for an experienced teacher and if she does not have support from the head it can have a devastating effect on the teacher.
I applaud the teachers in their strike and hope they win the day!!
If more teachers took this action then hopefully ineffective headteachers would be replaced!

Well said kate11!

I have 2 children in this school, one is disruptive and one is exceptionally well behaved. I implement discipline and teach my children respect at home. The school have my full support (and they know this) for any punishment they wish to use in school which I then back up with another punishment at home. Unfortunatley my child is still disruptive, what more am I supposed to do? My other children are all well behaved.

You need to remember the protest is not about the behaviour but the lack of support in dealing with the behaviour.
Is bringing the school in to disrepute a sackable offence?
The school have been made national news because of the head and her lack of support.
Is there then not a simple solution: the problem started after the move to holden fold and the appointment of a new head. If you cannont change the site of the school then change the management.

teachit wrote:

Dai Darwen wrote: Something not just right here as I stated in the last forum. Last weekit was because of unruly pupils according to the LET. This week it is for the lack of backing by management. Could it be the head is cracking the whip and the teachers do not like it or just a clash of personalities. If so called well educated pillars of society cannot get round a table and thrash out a solution then there is little hope for the less well educated. Complete joke.

Did you take the time to read the reports properly? The staff want to strike because of the behaviour of the pupils AND the lack of support from the Head when they try to do something about the behaviour. How many hours do you work a week? You obviously have time to study the racing forms- teachers spend alot of their time marking and writing detailed lesson plans.

Dai Darwen wrote:
Something not just right here as I stated in the last forum. Last weekit was because of unruly pupils according to the LET. This week it is for the lack of backing by management. Could it be the head is cracking the whip and the teachers do not like it or just a clash of personalities. If so called well educated pillars of society cannot get round a table and thrash out a solution then there is little hope for the less well educated. Complete joke.
Did you take the time to read the reports properly?
The staff want to strike because of the behaviour of the pupils AND the lack of support from the Head when they try to do something about the behaviour.
How many hours do you work a week?
You obviously have time to study the racing forms- teachers spend alot of their time marking and writing detailed lesson plans.



Unfortunately the qote would not copy. So I will perform a marking exercise just for you.
Paragraph 1 for research and being totally wrong 0/10
Paragraph 2 as you reiterate what I have written for comprehension 0/10 As for thepersonal question of my work ethic I will say that the last time I was off sick was 30 years ago, yes I am very fortunate to have good health. In my working life I now work the least hours of 35.1/2 but have been known to work 7 days doing 12 hour shifts. I have probably worked more hours in my life than you are ever likely to. So again for research and accuracy 0/10. As for your final comment the last time I bet on a horse was some 41 years ago, the reason I know is because I had 12 winners out of 16 and got very little return. I vowed I would not bet on horses again and I am a man of my word. As for the Ryder Cup I would love to watch this spectacle and would dearly love to go to Augusta. Unfortunately I will be at work. So for misrepresentation of my character I give you 10/10. My marking and work planning completed. WOW that was difficult, now for a brew and biccys.

Imp 79 As you say better behaviours in the pupils will follow as a result of better management and support by the head!! If I were a teacher there I would be calling for a vote of no confidence in the head and get them out.
some heads become power mad! The head where my daughter taught, as I stated above, thinks she is untouchable and the governors are unable to get her out as no teachers complain and most of them leave so need a reference. A little power is dangerous! An unsupporting head can be a misery to the teachers.

teachit wrote:

Dai Darwen wrote: Something not just right here as I stated in the last forum. Last weekit was because of unruly pupils according to the LET. This week it is for the lack of backing by management. Could it be the head is cracking the whip and the teachers do not like it or just a clash of personalities. If so called well educated pillars of society cannot get round a table and thrash out a solution then there is little hope for the less well educated. Complete joke.

Did you take the time to read the reports properly? The staff want to strike because of the behaviour of the pupils AND the lack of support from the Head when they try to do something about the behaviour. How many hours do you work a week? You obviously have time to study the racing forms- teachers spend alot of their time marking and writing detailed lesson plans.

teachit.blackburn Just to give you a little more information I am entitled to 26 days holiday per year. If you are or have been a teacher I wonder how that would compare to your entitlement.

Excuse me Dai Darwen but are you suggesting that teachers get a lot of holidays!! I would have thought the same as you until my daughter became a teacher and I have now completely changed that opinion. My daughter works from 8-6pm in school and also approx 4 hours every evening marking and preparing lessons! She has Friday evening off and then works some of the weekend and is paid for 37 hours!! She buys a lot of her materials for the class out of her own money!! She goes in during the holdays to prepare the class displays and planning also and out of the 5 week summer hols she went in to school for about 2 weeks. Half term she spent preparing lessons and changing displays!!

Do you have a job which demands that you work outside your hours or that you do not get paid overtime or that you have demands placed on you by headteachers during holidays??

If not then I think you are not in a position to comment!

Dai, the teacher in our family leaves for work at 7a.m. She returns home 5:30 ( later after meetings ). She works till 8 EVERY night and sometimes till 10pm. She spends one full day of her weekend on planning, preparation and marking. When reports are required, that will take up to 5 full days at home 3 times a year. Same with Statutary Assessments. There can be days when duties and meetings mean she has no break or loo visit that entire day - you can't walk out and leave a class full of kids and you cannot leave a playground unsupervised. Dai, I bet you can go for a fag and read the paper anytime you want and your week-ends are for your family - unless you are self-employed. OK there are many worse off, but if it were you, Dai, I'm sure we would have heard about it. Other teachers will say much the same.

It must be great to be a nasty teenager these days. Going to school when you want, indulging in anti-social behaviour with your mates, trying to cause nervous breakdowns in well-meaning teachers, and spoiling the learning experience for everyone else, getting involved with illegal activity - knowing all the while that no one can lay a finger on you. Come on, Britain, is this the kind of scum we want to create a heaven for?! If their parents can't be bothered to give them proper moral values, arm society to deal with them, rather than pretending they're made of china. Teachers need a deterrent. Simple as.

mikebuk wrote:
Teachers who are totally incapable to hold their audience should be fired. Don't blame the kids, boredom is a killer and causes frustration, hence people will play up.

If SOME of the children had a proper up-bringing then the MAJORITY of children would have an excellent education. Lessons are well planned and teachers put in 100% effort to implement them!
People who don't teach or know a teacher need to realise that we don't just pack up at 3.15pm. We also do alot of unseen hours at school and at home - marking, planning, preparing resources, parent's evenings, open evenings, pupils progress meetings, detentions... the list is endless!
We did not go into the profession for the holidays but to help children get a good education. I was brought up to respect my elders and people who tried to help me- why should that be so hard to do these days?

kate11 wrote:
Excuse me Dai Darwen but are you suggesting that teachers get a lot of holidays!! I would have thought the same as you until my daughter became a teacher and I have now completely changed that opinion. My daughter works from 8-6pm in school and also approx 4 hours every evening marking and preparing lessons! She has Friday evening off and then works some of the weekend and is paid for 37 hours!! She buys a lot of her materials for the class out of her own money!! She goes in during the holdays to prepare the class displays and planning also and out of the 5 week summer hols she went in to school for about 2 weeks. Half term she spent preparing lessons and changing displays!!

Do you have a job which demands that you work outside your hours or that you do not get paid overtime or that you have demands placed on you by headteachers during holidays??

If not then I think you are not in a position to comment!

Umm.. I worked in a school many years ago - and during the holidays it was locked tight.

Oh, and I, like many people these days do have a job that requires out of hours work and unpaid overtime.

Sadly I don't get 14 weeks paid holiday though!

Teaching is a vocation... please don't patronise us and make out it's the hardest job on the planet!

I will state what I did in the previous post. I am entitled to 26 days holiday per year, if you are or was a teacher how wold that compare to your entitlement?? I did not question the hours they choose to put in or their commitment. In my employment role I am coctactable 24 hours per day 7 days per week 52 weeks per year. Yes I accepted the job along with this responsibility and do it by choice, because I care. Before assuming perhaps you should ask first. I notice though that you quote other people being the teachers and not yourselves.

Umm.. I worked in a school many years ago - and during the holidays it was locked tight.



yes Diogenes The Cynic, you worked there many years ago.. Well it isnt like that now!! My daughter as does every other teacher works till sometimes 10pm at night and weekends preparing marking etc..
I have been a nurse since the 70's and I thought we worked hard but teachers beat us hands down..

Dai darwin Teachers do not choose to work those hours.. It is a necessity of the job in this day and age and neither do they get paid for them... They also care about there unruly pupils. My daughter lives at home and I see first hand the amount of work she puts in during a week and throughout the holidays! Have you teachers in your house I think not!

Pray tell us what is your role!

". I notice though that you quote other people being the teachers and not yourselves. " - Dai, teachers will get to their recreational computers, UNLIKE SUPPOSEDLY HARD-WORKING YOU, after they have done their work much later tonight - doughnut !!! Sorry, did I wake you up?

I will state what I did in the previous post. I am entitled to 26 days holiday per year, if you are or was a teacher how wold that compare to your entitlement??

Diogenes the Cynic quotes 14 weeks or 70 days holidays, quite a difference.

Kate 11 my role is of no consequence to this site. As for assuming there are no teachers in my household you may or may not be correct.

burner wrote:
". I notice though that you quote other people being the teachers and not yourselves. " - Dai, teachers will get to their recreational computers, UNLIKE SUPPOSEDLY HARD-WORKING YOU, after they have done their work much later tonight - doughnut !!! Sorry, did I wake you up?

burner.blackburn Sorry but the doughnut !!!!!! is on you. There are people who work through the night, ergo have their free time during the day after doing their work. I will say again please obtain facts before condemning people. Mouth and brain springs to mind.

Still time to play on your computer, Dai? You have been chatting for getting on 3 hours now.. . Slow day?
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"I am coctactable 24 hours per day 7 days per week 52 weeks per year." . .

The rest of your time you spend on your backside sniping at real workers.

Mobile phones have been invented. Yes up at 2pm today well noticed, you are obviously gainfully employed yourself, Nap time now before work. Back online tomorrow but may be after 6pm.

hannah55 wrote:
Darwen, Unfortunately I don't think this is a one-off. I teach in Scotland and this is a big problem here in certain areas too. The difference with these teachers is that they have had enough and decided it's time to let the public see their difficulties. Such a shame that some of the public will see fit to turn it round and blame the teachers! Surely everyone can see these are the actions of desperate people who have tried everything to NOT get to this stage. I know how helpless and depressed you can get when management throw it all back to you when you have tried all the accepted strategies, refer the problem to them and they say they think you could do more. Time and time again. When was the last time teachers went on strike? Things have to be very bad for that to happen. We have a responsibility to children and we take that very seriously therefore strike action is the LAST thing teachers will do. How about putting the blame at the feet of the right people - those who set the discipline procedures? It's like blaming the police when criminals get a soft sentence.

the head should be investigated, if more than 3 teachers have complained and she has done nothing to sort it, then under the equality act 2010 she should be done for vicarious liability!!! i also blame the parents, respect starts in the home!!!

MJT wrote:
It must be great to be a nasty teenager these days. Going to school when you want, indulging in anti-social behaviour with your mates, trying to cause nervous breakdowns in well-meaning teachers, and spoiling the learning experience for everyone else, getting involved with illegal activity - knowing all the while that no one can lay a finger on you. Come on, Britain, is this the kind of scum we want to create a heaven for?! If their parents can't be bothered to give them proper moral values, arm society to deal with them, rather than pretending they're made of china. Teachers need a deterrent. Simple as.

the teachers are totally in their rights to strike!!! good on you all for sticking together, management love to get you in the office on a 1 to 1, and making you believe you are in the wrong!!! collective action is great!!

Its not the teachers fault.This is history repeating its self.Torpey did the same at the last school she was head of.Only difference there was the staff chose to suffer in silence or resign.That school lost alot of great staff under her reign as head.I have great admiration for the staff of darwen vale for standing up for themselves.Keep it up.

Hi, Dai, unlike you, Mr 60/24/7/52, I never claimed I was at work, but teachers are.

I was at DVHS some 20 ish years ago and like others have said, it was never out of control like it is now.
I am not sure if the teachers have less power to enforce discipline on the students or that they are nervous of any repercussions from the students, but its obvious its at boiling point.

When DVHS were still at their old site, I witnessed the senior students going to and from McDonalds on the M65 services at lunchtime, but they were followed by a teacher who would pick up all the students litter and food as they dropped it en-route back to school!!!

That is a world (Or school) gone mad!!!

mikebuk wrote:
Teachers who are totally incapable to hold their audience should be fired. Don't blame the kids, boredom is a killer and causes frustration, hence people will play up.

"Teachers who are totally incapable to hold their audience should be fired. Don't blame the kids, boredom is a killer and causes frustration, hence people will play up."

Spoken like someone from the "I'm a Celebrity", "I must be entertained all the time" generation.

NO wonder education is in such a state.

Schools are not entertainment centres. They are places where people learn.

huggil is a lunatic, the weather my aR*e, the problems is with the lack of disciple and ineffective management. the introduction of the lunatic laws like the equality and human rights laws has made it impossible to enforce discipline.

give the trouble making little Sh1ts a crack and this stuff would disappear.repeat offenders should be removed.


Head teacher made a massive mistake by not supporting the staff and the lesson she should learn, would be not to do it again.


as for the teacher "issue" its not amazing that so many of the little Sh1ts cant read or write when they lea ve school the teachers have obviously had their hands tied.


it is also worth noting that the school is also lacking in complying in more fundamental issues like health and safety issues for example been in a windy place.



good on you teachers of DV dont put up with it.

I left this school in 1979. The teachers then were respected and feared. Who remembers Mr Foulkes and Mrs Birkin?? The teachers feared them never mind the pupils. My nephews girlfriend is a teacher and I have seen first hand the amount of preparation she puts into her lessons and she is a primary school teacher. I feel so sorry for teachers today, they have a very hard job to do made even harder by certain pupils who know the score, make their lives hell knowing not much can be done about it. As has been said before, maybe better parenting would help????

On reflection.....Maybe 'some' of the students odd behaviour, prior to DVHS moving sites, could be down to the substances they smoked via homemade bongs, which could be openly viewed anytime from 08:00 near the M65 services. This was regularly reported to the police, but to no avail......

I wish the teachers all the best as this will be a tough nut to crack!!!

"claiming management had failured to back up disciplinary actions"

FAILURED? I take it the reported was educated at Vale then?

happycyclist wrote:
They were discussing this on 5-Live radio this morning, from 10.00am.
Simon Huggill, councillor and governor, went on national radio and claimed that because the school is built on a hill, it gets lashed with bad weather and that's what makes the pupils disruptive.
Class.

I have two sons and I expect nothing but perfect behaviour from them and obedience to teachers.. and I don't expect the teachers to return "respect" back to them but to educate them.. and if the case ever arises to even cane them...
YES I WOULD ALLOW THE CANE FOR MY OWN SONS IF THEY MISBEHAVE !!
That is why one will soon be a pharmacist and the other will study for his A levels.. I don't respect children I teach them to respect their elders and never to be disruptive in class,as this take away time for their education and time for other pupils education..

well done the teachers.....
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her is all the amunition you require to defend you position :
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http://lifeinthemix.
org.uk/ark_academies
_school.html