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Calling all mainscale full-time teachers!

Discussion in 'Personal' started by lilachardy, Jan 21, 2011.

  1. fantastischfish

    fantastischfish Established commenter

    I really don't mean to play the Secondary versus Primary workload here, so don't think I'm saying it's harder work...I do think (from observation of friends who are primary teachers) that primary teachers have it harder with presenting planning in advance etc.
    But I must point out that it's simply impossible for the average Secondary English teacher (of which I am one) to mark all books every day, so a rota system is necessary. I teach 5 different KS3 classes and 3 different KS4 classes, who have classwork and coursework which need marking, in addition to mock exams and all the paperwork that goes along with the coursework etc, meaning that the marking workload is enormous especially at peak times. Each day, I have 4 - 5 lessons, all English. That's between 100-130 books per day, depending on how many are in the class (between 25 and 30 in most of my classes). Each of these classes has to do 3 - 4 formally assessed piecces of writing each half-term, plus 'build up' work in between, all of which needs marking diagnostically, with a positive comment, target to improve, literacy errors pointed out, NC level, APP grid highlight appropriately to indicate progress....
    This is before we mark end of term assessments as well. In the last two weeks of term, I have to plan assessments very carefully to ensure they don't all hand them in at once. However, by the end of next week I will have piled up: 52 year 10 Controlled Assessment essays on Shakespeare (word count target 2000 words each), 25 year 8 reading assessments to mark, 75 year 11 English/English Literature mock exams to mark, and all KS3 exercise books to catch up on.
    I pray to God and his son Jesus Christ that we do not get 'The Call' any time in the next 4 - 5 weeks.
    So my point? Primary has it bad with planning and paperwork. I completely give you that. But the marking doesn't even come close. Swing and roundabouts. But it definitely shows why we both need and deserve those holidays!!!

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