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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Head of school I work for wants me to do cleaning to make up hours I can't do at mo

320 replies

babayjane67 · 03/07/2020 11:26

Hi all!
Sorry the titles bit long but couldn't think of a shorter one!
I work as a lunch time supervisor at my DDS school.we both went bk 3 wks ago as she's in yr6.i look after both her class bubbles,which is nearly the whole class of 29.
Anyway in normal times,I also do the breakfast club every day but obviously at the moment that's not possible.
When I went into work on Tues,the head caught me&said they're wanting to get everybody bk into school to make up for the hrs they're not working.one of the breakfast club girls is shielding so can't come bk but he's apparently talking to her about how it's going to work in September.
The other girl is coming bk on Mon being a lunch time supervisor for a new key worker kids bubble that will start.
He wants me to clean to make mine up.so all light switches,door handles,sinks in classrooms& toilets &all toilet seats throughout the school.desks too I think.
He said think about it&let me know tomorrow I'll come&find u.well he didn't though I did see him wandering round on Wed.i wasn't in yesterday as I've got a nasty ear infection at mo.we don't work Fridays as the kids only do half day so that a deep clean can be done of the school each week.
This morning I get an email detailing my cleaning schedule starting Mon&saying what equipment I will be using etc.not asking me if I wanna do it/have I thought about it&made a decision.no just this is yr schedule starting Mon let us know what side if the lunch time you want to do it.
I've got nothing against cleaning,I've been one as a job in the past.so I haven't got a problem with doing it as a job but I don't want to do it as fir a start I get asthma so that's why he said fir me to work with yr6 not the younger ones,as they can social distance better&they understand more.plus I really don't want to be cleaning their loo seats etc.Im not dealing with any little ones at mo in any capacity.ive got 2 GC the youngest being 4&I've had to keep away from them as he's got a low immune system as well as me with my asthma so I don't want to then be dealing with stuff like that where everyone sits,touches things&risk passing anything on.
My dp isn't happy about me doing either fir the same reasons&said he would have told the head no straight away!
I haven't replied to the email yet.
Aibu?

OP posts:
ComeOnBabyPopMyBubble · 03/07/2020 22:03

To be honest I find it odd that any teaching or support staff would be expected to do this.

Who else would be doing it during the school day? Unless the private contractors are there and paid for every day, the whole school day.

lilgreen · 03/07/2020 22:17

Who else will clean in the day? We do t even have a caretaker! Small school, one cleaner who does the whole school alone each night. No budget for anything more. Vote Labour!

Babymamaroon · 03/07/2020 22:26

I think at the moment, it should be a case of pulling together.

It may not be ideal but at least you have the opportunity to earn. So many people are losing their jobs right now.

I'd suck it up for the time being and take pride in your contribution to the school.

Original poster
babayjane67 · 03/07/2020 22:43

I'm not gonna repeat myself about being furloughed.thats what we were told,believe it or not!end of!
Baby yea You're right,I'm very lucky to still have a job at the moment.it is only for a couple of weeks.will just get on with it.
Thanks for the positive,supportive replies.

OP posts:
Schoolchoicesucks · 03/07/2020 22:48

I think OP said that the Head was currently doing the extra cleaning and didn't see why that couldn't continue. The mind boggles.

CloudyGladys · 03/07/2020 23:12

Part of your job is not currently available. The headteacher is not receiving the income from children attending Breakfast Club that would normally pay you for those hours.

Not only has the headteacher allocated you to the bubble(s?) of your choice, but, instead of saying your usual role role isn't available so you won't be paid, they have offered you alternative work so you don't have take a drop in salary. They have even given you some time to think about it rather than just re-deploying you.

It sounds like the headteacher has been more than reasonable. They're a bit busy just now (given that they've got a school to run and new guidance to implement) to come on blended knee to beg you to take on a role that you consider to not be beneath you.

Were you expecting to receive full pay for reduced hours or to be offered a TA post?

FishyDuck · 04/07/2020 00:02

I think this is a case of your head looking at how to best utilise all her resources in this strange situation. Breakfast club is not running and she has a member of staff who would otherwise be idle so it makes sense for them to be put to work doing a really important role in cleaning.

Heartistired · 04/07/2020 00:44

My mother works in a school, current plans include teachers cleaning too, with staff shortages and current needs, nobody has made a fuss, and understand that everyone is having to change their roles to suit needs.

SandyY2K · 04/07/2020 01:03

I don't think you should have to do it I also think your employer would be on dangerous ground to dock your pay.

Usually a job description has a line of anything reasonable and commensurate with the grade .... cleaning toilets is really only something you can insist that a cleaner does.

If THE HT does it...then so be it...but you shouldn't have to.

I say this as a HR professional and I've been advising managers what is reasonable to ask of employees during this virus.

In this situation, the cleaning of surfaces....light switches etc is okay...but not the toilets.

I think you said you worked for a LA didn't you OP?... They shouldn't be making pay deductions...I work for a similar organisation to you and we wouldn't do that.

VanGoghsDog · 04/07/2020 01:29

Unless you are working for a private school you are talking nonsense because public sector workers cannot be furloughed.

Well, they could be, the employer just couldn't claim the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme payments from the govt.

So, basically, just normal paid leave but the school possibly referred to it as furlough because everyone else was

caringcarer · 04/07/2020 01:38

Unless you have official shielding letter from government I think you are being unreasonable not to be flexible in the Covid crisis. I am sure you will be given gloves for cleaning in. Otherwise ask to reduce your hours and get paid less.

IdblowJonSnow · 04/07/2020 01:40

It's a bit rubbish that the alternative is cleaning but as theres only a few weeks left I'd suck it up.

Hopeisnotastrategy · 04/07/2020 04:09

I would like to say a really big thank you to everyone in schools, and indeed everywhere, who is stepping up and doing extra duties like this so things can carry on and people can be safe. These are not normal times and we will best get through this by pulling together.

Thank you all. 👏💐

Midw33kSlump · 04/07/2020 04:18

Why not toilets?

Ours are cleaned after every visit by a child. Spritz taps and wipe door handles and seat with gloves and throw away paper.5 minutes.Pretty much it. Must be the cleanest place in the school. Who else is going to do it? It’s now part of life in schools.

Sure I read somewhere that toilet seats have less germs than your mouth.

Mummyoflittledragon · 04/07/2020 06:59

@babayjane67

Believe it or not,that is what we were all told.i am certainly not talking nonsense! Yes I have emailed him back,asking if I can use antibac wipes instead of spray&that I'm happy to get those myself ¬ out of school funds. IF my breakfast club job were to go,I wouldn't be redundant as I would carry on doing the lunch time one.
Good you’ve emailed. Do you realise antibacterial wipes are useless against a virus?
Original poster
babayjane67 · 04/07/2020 08:12

Yes mummy,I do but then pretty much everything is to be honest! It just has to play itself out.
I'm guessing the spray the head is on about using will probably be some sort of anttbac one though so no difference really.

OP posts:
Midw33kSlump · 04/07/2020 08:18

No it will have bleach in it.

Original poster
babayjane67 · 04/07/2020 08:20

Yes Sandy y2k I work for our local authority.
Thanks that's very helpful to know.
Somebody asked up thread,if anyone else was doing any cleaning at school during the day or if it'd be just me.cant remember who it was now,but no nobody else would be doing it,just me.apart from the deep clean on a Friday,which I'm not sure if he wants me to do or not as none of us lunch time people or breakfast club people,work on a Friday at mo.im hoping not!

OP posts:
Original poster
babayjane67 · 04/07/2020 08:21

Midw You're not allowed to use bleach in most settings now.

OP posts:
MistyMinge2 · 04/07/2020 08:21

You sound like you're being precious and work shy. Most people in the workplace are having to muck in with some cleaning. I don't see how it's any riskier than the work you're already doing. I wouldn't want to be putting myself in a position of being top of the list if redundancies come round. Recruitment is going to drop and there's going to be 100s of applications for any jobs that are going. Suck it up and be glad you've got a job.

Midw33kSlump · 04/07/2020 08:26

Really, where did you hear that? Can you link please.

Original poster
babayjane67 · 04/07/2020 08:28

Mistyminge read my last post of last night!!

OP posts:
Original poster
babayjane67 · 04/07/2020 08:29

It been well know for a quite a while now!
My second eldest DD works as a cleaner in a hospice&no bleach is allowed in most settings now.

OP posts:
lilgreen · 04/07/2020 08:33

Most anti bac wipes also kill viruses.

lilgreen · 04/07/2020 08:33

Can’t use bleach in schools.