You wrote:-
Mr Gove's proposals mean that in future, sacking a bad teacher can be achieved in just nine weeks - against the current average of 12 months. Head teachers will be given greater powers to weed out under-performing staff. Classroom standards will be raised.
And parents will be allowed to visit classrooms to see for themselves the education their children are receiving. (I sincerely hope this extends to grandparents in due course).
My wife was Head of Chemistry for many years and was a very good teacher, yet a very dishonest poor head teacher, bullied her into poor health, resulting in her receiving an ill-health pension.
Head of physics was also head of the science faculty, but he was unable to get my wife the post of his deputy (head master refusal), so he made her is unofficial deputy.
The chemistry department was always understaffed resulting in extra work for my wife. Yet when potential new staff were interviewed, the head always changed her choice for a lesser chemistry experienced person.
A.M by email
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I have received a copy of you paper from our Community Centre for the last two years and really look foreword to reading it. Thank you!