To be really angry on behalf of teachers

[Jessicabrassica]

I know mumsnet loves a bit of teacher bashing.
I'm really angry that once again the Department for Education has put out guidance for schools in a Friday night before a long weekend with some schools having already started and others back next week.
I cannot imagine how many iterations of risk assessments have already been completed to make schools as safe as possible given the constraints of staff numbers, building size and requirements to get every child back in school.
They are getting enough PPE to tick the box that it's been issued to all schools but not enough to be useful.
Teachers mostly haven't stopped working since the pandemic began. They have continued to teach, to support vulnerable learners, provided meals and good parcels out of school funds in lieu of FSM, they remained open through school holidays for key worker provision.
I really feel that they have been well and truly fucked over, left massively vulnerable and will be left to carry the can for community outbreaks.

I'm a parent and work for the NHS if it's if any consequence.

Because obviously there is no need to train staff on the new guidelines which are only 72 hours old

Well considering the inset day has been planned for a while that's pretty irrelevant

@formerbabe

First day of term here is an inset day...clearly couldn't have found a single day in the past six months to do whatever they need to do. It's almost funny...

It would be funny were it not for the fact that September INSET belongs to the new academic year. Anything in July belongs to that academic year. We can't enrol new y7 or 12 in July. Or induct new staff. Or discuss exam results. Teachers have 5 INSET days or equivalent in an academic year. They came from the holidays, when Kenneth Baker was Secretary of State, which is why they were known as Baker days.

‘SOME posters are goady.’

On both sides of the fence

We have three inset days. But they were in place before guidance came out, for as long as calendar was up.

INSET days are just proof of poor planning’ (paraphrasing),’They have had a long holiday since March. ‘ Openly having hobbies and not having the decency to feel ashamed' (I'm paraphrasing), 'teachers need to play their part in society' Moaning', 'crack on', 'snowflakes', 'whining', 'get a grip', 'paid with our money', 'don't live in the real world', 'teachers just love to sodding moan', ‘Thank goodness nurses and doctors carries on without the same fuss.’, ‘our teAchers will close the school again at the drop of a hat.’ ‘If only teachers put as much energy into re-opening schools as they seem to complaining about how unfair it all is on them.’ ‘There has been no particular spreading of COVID in schools and no reason to be concerned ‘ ‘Shit at their jobs (and parents can do it better but we still want teachers to do it even though they’re shit).’ ‘gas lighting.’ ‘Some people just seem to want lockdown to last forever.’ ‘suffering major delusions’, ‘constantly whining about how they have it uniquely difficult.’ ‘refusal to even acknowledge that this has been going on’,
‘dereliction of duty to their pupils’, ‘actively mocking foster parents and vulnerable children’, ‘other people have got it worse so shut-up’,

Also lots around the theme of ‘I’ve been treated really badly at work, so why shouldn’t teachers be?’

I’ve seen at least three more examples of the last one.

Worth adding in full, as a fine example of it’s type:

‘Least they're being given ppe not sure if you've noticed but all the factory workers across the country haven't stopped working either.

And have been working mostly without protections and dying at the highest rate.

Possibly not middle class enough to care about though.’

Formerbabe

Well no we couldn't. To start with the inset days aRe yearly so last year's were already done by lockdown.

And as I've said many times - we had no spare days when school was closed between March and July. They were even open to children in the school holidays. Most staff were in those bubbles so wouldn't have been available to attend INSET.

And tbh following the last minute changes to the DfE info it's probably a good job. We will be going through all the new procedures, how school work, information about the children especially the vulnerable ones and any issues we know of for them during/since lockdown, etc. Plus statutory Safeguarding and first aid training/information which must be done annually.

Staff will then stay on later after school hours to ensure their rooms are ready. Important this year as we've had some major building and maintenance work done (delayed form last summer due to a contractor issue last July) which has also overrun, so some rooms haven't been accessible over the summer - two won't be ready until Tuesday lunch time.

INSET days are also NOT part of the children's school year and never have been. They were originally school holidays for staff but their holidays were reduced by 5 days several years ago to create INSET, which is also for ALL the school staff often, not just the teachers.

I wish people would just stop and think that the teachers posting on here are real people.
I don’t care what they think in that I know it’s no reflection on me, but actually I’m due to start my NQT year next week and I’m really nervous about it (not with regards to Covid) and it actually is kind of shit to hear that you’re just selfish, lazy etc. So I said I don’t care... and I generally don’t, but when you’re feeling a bit vulnerable it actually can be unpleasant.

Once I qualified I taught key worker children full time and they (and I) really enjoyed it. I would have happily taught more children, but I’m not the one who chooses that or actually makes any decisions at all.

Just please be nice - I’m sure it goes both ways. I can mostly brush it off but when I’m already feeling anxious about next week it just doesn’t help.

Dominicgoings

And SOME parents just like bitching about teachers

Our INSET days for 2020/21 have also been set in place since last Christmas, published to parents at that time along with term dates for the coming year.

Ahhh I hope it goes well Year5 - your nerves will disappear as soon as you’re in front of your class! How exciting!

INSET days are also NOT part of the children's school year and never have been

If this is correct then why on earth are parents told that first day of term is (insert date) but will be an inset day.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

Am sure many teachers have worked very hard. That said two thirds of dds primary staff vanished mid March never to be seen again exactly!!! I Know if some amazing teachers and I know of ones that buggered off and never checked in on the children. Also the majority of children have not been in school!!!!!!

Exactly this.

If you want totally unprepared teachers with no training crack on and take away INSET , but you won't get more teaching days.

@SmileEachDay

Ahhh I hope it goes well Year5 - your nerves will disappear as soon as you’re in front of your class! How exciting!

Thank you so much! I am really excited about it but I’ve been wanting it for so long with years of being a TA and then my pgce that I can’t help but feel nervous!

It doesn't matter whether you think they should be ready or not. Inset days came from staff holiday. Your kids wouldn't be in school then regardless. Children have had the same number of days in school for decades.

@formerbabe

Do you have any idea about the amount of work it takes to rewrite the curriculum for 5 year groups to take account of missing 2 terms?

I'm sure it's a mammoth task that won't be achievable in six hours on the first day of term...do I believe that from March to now, teachers haven't had six hours spare to do whatever the will be doing on inset day? Bullshit

We will talk about all the barriers to learning in the new intake. Given that 15 new staff start their employment on Tuesday, no we couldn't have done that before then because they wouldn't have been there. Or the medical protocol updates for the students with allergies.

Blimey this woodwork has a lot of holes.

year5teacher, you sound like you'll be a real asset to your students, your school, and your profession.

It's easy to hear the negative voices, because they tend to be kind of strident and screechy, but look for the positive ones there too. We're out there.

We really value and appreciate those that go into teaching, despite having to deal with bloody awful parents and their students, as well as underfunding and poor working environment, and a hostile Government that uses teachers and schools in a fashion akin to a human shield. Thank you for doing it!

I'm sure it's a mammoth task that won't be achievable in six hours on the first day of term...do I believe that from March to now, teachers haven't had six hours spare to do whatever the will be doing on inset day Bullshit

And part of the INSET days are around ensuring the planning is exactly as it needs to be.

Actually I don’t even know why I’m bothering. You are being deliberately provocative- and really unpleasant.

It is correct @formerbabe.
Why your school publishes it like that, I don't know. That doesn't make it untrue.

Thank you so much! I am really excited about it but I’ve been wanting it for so long with years of being a TA and then my pgce that I can’t help but feel nervous! flowers

That’s lush. You sound like you have exactly the right experience to be really successful. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water. 😊

@year5teacher nervous means you care! Good luck, and have fun

Schools have NOT been open to the majority of state pupils. End. Of.

And who made that decision?
Who told schools to close to most pupils?
Who set the guidelines and rules regarding re-opening in June?

Because it certainly wasn't schools themselves, let alone the teachers!!

Just because your own child wasn't able to access the government approved childcare provision, or eligible to return in June, doesn't negate the fact that - from many school staff's point of view - their school was open and they were required to be in school full time, several right from the start.

@FrippEnos

mbosnz

I am sure that all of those throwing shade at teachers have already deregistered their children and will either be home schooling them or have paid for them to go private.

After all you would be a fool to send your children in to a school with people that you have no trust in?

Quite. I mean who would be such a hypocrite as to vilify state education while sending their DCs to state school?