Page 245 - She's One Crazy Lady!

look good on my CV! Taking advice
from my Union, I declined, repeating
that I was fit to be a Headteacher, but
not at Highfields – at that time. This was
how it was a for several weeks, with the
Authority offering two further alternative
employment options: a Special Needs
post in a Junior school and an Advisory
Teacher in English – a subject I obviously
taught but not confident or experienced
enough to advise on. I didn’t feel that
taking on the role of a Special Needs
Co-ordinator would help to enhance
my headship skills and, I had been such
a co-ordinator, for many years in my
previous two schools. No Headships
were offered. Following advice from my Union I declined both offers and chose to sit tight. Perhaps I was being stubborn but, in all seriousness I asked why I should take lesser jobs, with no guarantees at all about getting back to my rightful position.
The Chair of Governors suddenly started to ring me on a more frequent basis. He said a decision had to be made about me soon as the Ofsted Inspectors were very anxious that the school should have stability for the next two years. I, of course, was quite aware of this but what was I to do? He said it was very unlikely I could, or would, return. There were no Headship positions out there and I was, at one point, told no-one would want me and that the LEA could decide to terminate my contract due to the amount of time I had been off. If that were to happen I may only be offered severance pay, which could mean just one, possibly two terms salary with no lump sum and with no pension. Was this really fair?
I hope you are still with me on this and I’m sorry if all this is a little long-winded but it has to be told.
On many occasions a part of me said I should take ‘the package’ and take early ill-health retirement but these thoughts came and went – my mind was like a washing machine on full spin – it wouldn’t stop whirring. Even writing about it now confuses me and feelings of how I felt then are resurfacing! It really was a horrible, horrible time.
One colleague said to me:
“Glennis, you are a Headteacher. Simply ask them if they think you are fit enough to be a Headteacher. The answer should be a straightforward ‘Yes’. If ‘Yes’, tell them to find you a Head’s job. If ‘no’, get them for everything you can!”
Days, weeks went by and more meetings and phone calls were had. I was told by the Authority that as Highfields were paying my salary I could ‘possibly’ return in January 2003, working ‘under’ (not with) the latest Head who was currently at the school. Everybody around me was
“No Headships were offered. Following advice from my Union I declined both offers and chose to sit tight. Perhaps I was being stubborn.
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