It is a jungle out there

Keith Bartley, the chief executive of the General Teaching Council for England says that up to 24,000 incompetent teachers should be removed from their classrooms and put to work in neighbouring schools.

At present one of the best-kept secrets of the teaching profession is that head teachers routinely encourage sub-standard teachers to resign, allowing them to transfer, often with a passable job reference, to another school. This is easier than embarking on lengthy and stressful incompetence procedures, but it shifts the problem elsewhere.

Several of my ex-colleagues struggled in the school where I taught but then blossomed when they moved to a new school. 

Teachers develop a reputation in their first few years in a school which can stick with them until they leave. New intakes of pupils quickly learn from the older children which teachers they can play up to. No matter how much effort they put into improving their situation, the law of the playground mitigates against them.

And it isn't just the children who work against these teachers. I regularly heard other teachers make scathing remarks about their colleagues ability in front of pupils - "you're not in Mr_ lesson now you know". For teachers who find themselves in this position; the  only recourse is to leave and find another school where they can start with a clean sheet.

In my opinion; qualifications have little bearing on your ability to be a good teacher. It's  a lot more to do with being able to impose your will and let the children know who is boss. The best laid plans won't ensure a good lesson if the children won't cooperate. I know - I've been there.