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.

@mbosnz

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!

Thank you, this is so incredibly kind! I think it’s the best job in the world but it is difficult from what I’ve experienced so far, and having family members who are teachers I’ve seen them be totally worn down. Totally not unique to teaching! But sometimes all the negativity does actually get to me a bit when I’m already feeling nervous - and messages like yours really help. Thank you. 🥰

@SmileEachDay @MrsHamlet you are lovely.

Formerbabe

This information is very easily found with a quick google if you don't wish to believe posters on Mumsnet.

School is open 190'days for children but staff have to be available for 195 days a year.

They were introduced in 1998 and were often known as Baker days, after the minister then responsible.

you are lovely

We aren’t. We’re lazy, hateful bastards. Plus some other stuff 😉

[quote year5teacher]**@SmileEachDay* @MrsHamlet* you are lovely. [/quote]
No... we're workshy lefties ;)

Publishing it in the calendar makes it clear to all that schools are doing their training. Training being a good thing. It is a correct fact that even if inset was not taking place on those days, your child would still not be in school.

@SmileEachDay @MrsHamlet 😂😂😂😂 too true!

I could easily see why a significant number of teachers would say 'fuck this shit' after the appalling mismanagement of COVID and education, and the use of teachers and schools as punching bags, treated with utter contempt, and walk out of the profession. If they do, our children are even more screwed over than they already are, due to the teachers already leaving the profession due to chronic underfunding, lack of respect or appreciation, and all the bloody rest of it.

I wouldn't blame them one iota. But our kids will be the losers.

@Aragog

Formerbabe

This information is very easily found with a quick google if you don't wish to believe posters on Mumsnet.

School is open 190'days for children but staff have to be available for 195 days a year.

They were introduced in 1998 and were often known as Baker days, after the minister then responsible.

I was just popping in to tell you the same thing @formerbabe. If you're going to have a pop at teachers, check your background first perhaps.

It's all very odd. Prior to covid, parents were endlessly threatened over attendance. My dd has sn and medical problems. Her attendance dipped due to endless appointments..she actually had no sick days and I'd never taken her out for any other reason. But, I still received nasty threatening letters describing the cataclysmic impact her attendance would have on her future life. We are now told that to expect any time in school is entitled and we're just after free childcare. I believe we are being groomed to see free, full time education as an exception rather than a rule...but perhaps I'm allowing my conspiracy theorist side to come out!

Salty and fresh, people do nt home school because they’re working, and do nt send their children to private schools because they can’t afford it.

Right, I'm off, but I hope to find plenty more material when I come back tomorrow.

Don't let me down.

@formerbabe

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.

Because schools set which days they need as inset days: it's not standardised as each school has different needs.

Children have always had 38 weeks of education. After inset was introduced, a week of staff's holidays was taken and the time in school extended to 39 weeks. This gives 5 days for inset that the school can place where they need them whilst still ensuring children get 38 weeks of education in total.

The argument that schools shouldn't have inset now is also flawed. Schools have to set their year well in advance (depending on the local authority). Our calendar of holidays and inset days for the next two years is already set in stone.

The dates are often published by the LEA. INSET days are set by individual schools within the school year. School can chose when to hold these so that they best match the training requirements of their staff and school that year. It also means that the training providers used by schools can be booked throughout the year rather than Eve ru one trying to book the same person over the same handful of days.

Even if your child's school decide to scrap INSET (they can't by the way) your child will still not be in school any extra days this year.

Former

What on earth do you get out of this?

The letters are form letters, and for goodness sakes, if you know your child was off for valid reasons, you know that the school is ticking a box, as required by Ofstead and the Government, and you ignore it.

That's what we did, anyway.

Now schools are being told to put in financial penalties for non-attendance, and the schools are the ones pushing back on this. Because it's the bloody Government! Not the schools and teachers! They're the meat in the bloody sandwich.

@mbosnz, you're dead right. I don't fancy my chances but I'm looking. I'll take my 20 years' experience with me (there's a lovely independent special school that I have my eye on). If I find something outside teaching I'll also be standing down as a senior examiner, and believe me when I say that in fairness to students, long experience is an invaluable asset in that role. It's depressing.

Thank you for your appreciation.

@formerbabe

It's all very odd. Prior to covid, parents were endlessly threatened over attendance. My dd has sn and medical problems. Her attendance dipped due to endless appointments..she actually had no sick days and I'd never taken her out for any other reason. But, I still received nasty threatening letters describing the cataclysmic impact her attendance would have on her future life. We are now told that to expect any time in school is entitled and we're just after free childcare. I believe we are being groomed to see free, full time education as an exception rather than a rule...but perhaps I'm allowing my conspiracy theorist side to come out!

Attendance is one of the things schools are judged on. Those letters come from schools but are mandated well above that level. In normal times, students should be in school for 190 days. But the PM closed schools to all but KW and vulnerable children in March. The PM. Not heads. Not teachers. The PM. When he announced the changes in June, there were so many contradictions in the guidance that there was no way we could offer more than we did. We'd have liked to have more students in more of the time - but we were told no more than 25% of years 10 and 12 at a time. That was the PM. Not heads. Not teachers. The PM.

A lot of holes in woodwork and many available axe grinding machines.

But formerbabe- those issues regarding your child's health and medical conditions and attendance are not related to INSET days.

I actually disagree with attendance fines and aggressive letters for school absence, even more so for children with medical conditions.

I would support your argument over that issue in its own thread.

But whilst I support your concerns over attendance targets especially for children who have medical and send issues, it still has nothing to do with INSET days.

If you were to take this further with your school or LEA you'd be better to separate the two.

Yes I'm not blaming schools for the over zealous attendance nonsense...I'm aware it's a box ticking exercise

Don't be a stranger, Miles

If you don't blame schools for the attendance stuff and letters then why conflate them with idea that children are losing school days because of INSET?

Which they're really not. The school year has remained the same number of days for children - 190 days a year.

Except in exceptional circumstances when it may be reduced for very specific reasons. This year the exceptional reason was a global pandemic which forced children across the world to lose several weeks of their schooling.

Yes @MrsHamlet. I absolutely accept it was not the choice of teachers and schools to close. But, I believe the wider public now views parents as entitled for wanting their children to be in school. I desperately wanted my dc back before the summer but I was accused by many of just wanting free childcare.