Staffrooms, whats yours like? Does your staff get along?

lauralee28

Very interesting to hear what other staffrooms are like and how staff get along? I will post some starter questions...

Is it a young/old staff?
Do colleagues get along?
Are there strong cliques/divides?
Is it easy for new staff to "break in"?
Do you socialise much as a staff?
Is there favouritism with management?
How is your staff dealing with the current jobs crisis? Did it cause strain/tension among non-permanent teachers at the end of the year?

rainbowtrout

What's your staffroom like?


I don't want to comment too much about my staffroom, I've posted enough stuff on here to narrow down which school I work in, and I could be easily identified from the subject I teach...

byhookorbycrook

Is it a young/old staff?
Mainly young, average age would be less than 40


Do colleagues get along?Yes


Are there strong cliques/divides? No

Is it easy for new staff to "break in"? I'd hope so

Do you socialise much as a staff?Staff nights out, some coffee after work etc

Is there favouritism with management? Not at all

How is your staff dealing with the current jobs crisis? Did it cause strain/tension among non-permanent teachers at the end of the year?
Only one non-permanent, got another year with us.

TheDriver

our staffroom is grand, everyone is too busy to fight in there. Usual groups of people chatting about politics, tv, kids welfare or just about nothing relevant.
Most get along, just about!
Some divides like everywhere.
New staff take while to break in but bear in mind, these are people who have been friends for years and naturally we are busy talking to each other the first few weeks back. Also new teachers can sometimes go on and on about classes and most of us want our break where we don't want to talk about kids

daisyjane

The staffroom in my current school is super, everyone gets along and sits wherever they fancy on any given day.
That said, I have worked in schools, 1 in particular where the staffroom was a nightmare; (self)assigned seats, dips not spoken to etc.. The staff were horrible and I couldn't get out of the place quick enough.
Count yourself lucky if you are working in a school with a good staff... It's worth more than anything.

Fast_Mover

My old school:
Is it a young/old staff?
-Good mix! 20 on staff including SNA's. All range from 21-64.

Do colleagues get along?
-Yeah, very much so! Going to miss them all terribly!:(

Are there strong cliques/divides?
-Not at all! We all sat where ever, chatted to whomever!

Is it easy for new staff to "break in"?
-Yup!! I was new there last year and they made me feel right at home from day 1! Was my 21st birthday few days into September and they bought me a cake/had candles and brought it into the staffroom! I was gob-smacked/teary-eyed!

Do you socialise much as a staff?
-Myself and few the younger ones met up now and again and over the summer we would have text each other alot.

Is there favouritism with management?
-The principal had a few favourites..usually the more senior/more experienced staff. He was an ásshole though, wont miss him anyway!

How is your staff dealing with the current jobs crisis?
-I lost my job due to numbers. Was gutted! It was an all boys school so it was tough enough, but the staff just made up for it! Loved going to school every day!

Did it cause strain/tension among non-permanent teachers at the end of the year?
-Nope!

Starting in my new school on Tue! :eek:
There about 7 on staff I think. I'll be youngest, next/nearest in age to me is a girl of 27, then the rest are women in there 40's/50's.

Toto Wolfcastle

lauralee28 wrote: »

Is it a young/old staff?

Ranges from 23 (myself and a male teacher) to 65. An awful lot of the staff are late 20s/early 30s.

Do colleagues get along?

Definitely. We always have so much fun together. Everyone talks to everyone else.

Are there strong cliques/divides?

Generally the younger staff sit on one side and the older staff sit on the other but I wouldn't say there's a divide. It's more to do with who you're actually friends with rather than just friendly with. We mix a lot and everyone is welcome to sit where they want and with whoever they want.

Is it easy for new staff to "break in"?

I was new last year and was welcomed by everyone. I was invited to lunch on my very first day and I haven't looked back since. A girl who is covering maternity leave started this year and we had such a laugh with her at one of the meetings on the second day. Everyone is so welcoming.

Do you socialise much as a staff?

We go to lunch a lot and go out together the odd time. A lot of the teachers are settled with husbands and kids so they find it hard to get out. When we do organise a night out we put up a sign and everyone is invited. We're all going to the debs together soon.

Is there favouritism with management?

No way. Those in charge are the nicest people. They want everyone to be happy in work and are so helpful. I couldn't praise them enough.

How is your staff dealing with the current jobs crisis? Did it cause strain/tension among non-permanent teachers at the end of the year?

When I started I was permanent and there were whispers about it because there are a few who aren't but there was no tension. The management worked so hard to ensure that everyone kept their jobs and a few got CID which is great. Also we were able to hire an SNA so the staff got bigger.

I genuinely love my job. The staffroom is such a fun place to be. Couldn't be happier.