Miss?

Kits Clair Secondary School is a specialist educational provision for children with severe, emotional and mental health needs. Kits Clair Like most secondary schools in the UK right now are very much trying to provide an education for children with such severe behavioural and mental health needs combined with the lack of teachers, this has now become a crises within education in the UK. It would be fair to say Miss? highlights both the students and the teachers perspective and experiences. Miss? Three female teachers, firstly Sienna Raybourne is an unqualified English Teacher who is struggling to survive, lack of money, lack of food, lack of basic daily essentials pushes Sienna to accept an offer to become an escort. Sienna accepts the offer much to her own detriment. Sienna just keeps telling herself that as soon as the school funds her Qualified Teacher Status she wont have to sell her body anymore. However the school has been promising Sienna this for 2 years in the mean time Sienna has been earning pittance and living in a state of hope. Eventually Sienna has to own up to her soliciting as one of her students Acey is trafficked into the house where Sienna escorts. Sienna loses both her teaching job and her escorting role. Acey is a looked after child and can be a symbol for children who are placed into a care system that does very little about caring. Acey has spent her whole life in care. She is a product of heroin addicts and has no real family member in her life. Acey develops a crush on her care manager and in a terrible twist Acey sets her teacher Miss Taylor for having sex with another student (Zacky). Eventually Acey is seen to be sex trafficked whereby Sienna saves her and exposes herself. Lexi Taylor has been exploited and underpaid by the education system for some time and is rather angry about it. Working as a teacher for 5 years but only gets paid a teacher assistants wage has made Lexi rather bitter. However her son who is attends grammar school has decided he would like to become a boy. Lexi's world has turned on her head. Then she has to deal with a sexual allegation made by one of her students. This sends Lexi into a deep depression. It is Lexi's friend Sienna that is seen to give her support. Her so called boyfriend gets arrested for drug dealing whilst at work ( in a kids care home). Eventually Lexi is cleared of having sex with a minor. This is a story about why teachers are leaving, why teachers are not being retained, why our students are failing, why are there so many mental health diagnosis with very little specialist support, why are schools being funded millions and millions but not looking after their staff, why are students being let down.... so many whys? Example of script style; Small staffroom. Lunchtime. Sienna: (enter’s small staff room laden with books, immediately looks at her colleague) Oh what a morning? Lexi: (making tea/coffee, looks over to S) You need coffee? Sienna: (exhausted look, whilst unloading her books etc on to table) I need vodka! (with a giggle) However coffee will do, thank you Lexi. (looking at the unknown member of staff sitting at the table whilst raiding the fridge for her sandwich) Hello I’m Sienna and you must be a newbie? Cover teacher assistant: ( all eager and bright eyed) Hi everyone! I guess I am the newbie! Nice to meet you, Sienna. My name is Tanya. I started last week. Lexi: (looking a little confused) Oh have you two not met yet? I didn't realise! Sienna: (looking at L) No (and looking at L& CT) That my darlings was because I was so manic last week, what with OFSTED scanning and scrutinising my every fucking walking breath! (head in hand) I didn't venture out of my classroom ensuring every little god damn detail was perfect! (hands outward gesture)The pressure! So yeah that's probably why I haven't met you already Tanya! However welcome to KitsClair (with a giggle) we are a little like marmite here you will either love us or hate us! CT: (laughs along) Thank you Sienna! Lexi: (stern faced) Why you put pressure on yourself Sienna I will never know! I’ve told you before they pay ofsted. We always get rated good! Jeez, last year when they were in, a few of the students stole the catering company's delivery truck and took it on a joy ride around the grounds. And there in full frontal were the straight laced bent over ofsted inspectors eating their avocado and eggs on the Queens terrace when 3 or our charming little delinquents opened fire on them, with milk (laughing) It was like a scene from Ghostbusters, white sticky opened mouth fear! I was laughing for weeks. CT: (laughs out loud with a hand over her mouth in shock) Oh my goodness I cannot believe my ears, were they expelled ? Lexi: (frown) Was the queen poor? (sarcastic giggle) No Tanya they were definitely not excluded (giggle) far too much money to lose! In fact if I remember rightly the very next day they were all taken to Chessington or Thorpe Park, one of those fancy overly expensive theme park places! (laughs) CT: Wow we would have been expelled in my day! Funny story though, wish I had seen. Sienna: (a mortified look) Lexi you have never told me this story! You have said previously that they pay ofsted and not get my knickers in a twist over them. I’m sorry lovely I just can’t quite digest all that! I thought we were a school that at least taught them life skills. Where was the consequence for such negative behaviour? I can see the humor but for fuck sake taken them all out on a jolly up! I cant even afford the train fare for a day out let alone at a fucking all fucking singing and dancing theme park! Lexi: (looking at CT) Yes the 4 boys involved lost extra time at break for the week! I know it's laughable but unfortunately the day consequences were seized was the day education fell on its arse! I’d love to know who makes the rules (laughing) or should I say who doesn't make the rules! (looks at S) And for fuck sake Sienna just because we work for an institution it doesnt mean that they play by the book if anything (endearingly) my sweet innocent darling that you are, they really are the worst ones for breaking the rules! You know this girl, you've seen far too many failings here? I have been here 7 years and it gets worse by the day! Sienna: (mortified at L comments and looks at L with disbelief) Oh Lexi I wish I could argue with you on that one. But still I do think that sometimes you shouldn't say what you say, certainly when we got a supply (looking at CT mouthing sorry) sitting here! Lexi: (wide eyed) Oh my Sienna I can say what I fucking like, it’s called freedom of speech and it’s the fucking truth! I’ve had enough of the fat cats here earning over 10x more than me and doing fuck all to deserve it! I’ve worked my god damn arse off in this place! Its all bull shit and you fucking know it! How long have they been promising you your QTS Sienna? TBC.. The character Sienna really highlights the financial despair of poverty that teaching assistants and teachers are facing right now, the pressures of being overworked and underpaid, the exploitation of workers V chief (principal earns more than the prime minister), inequalities and injustices for teachers.