To think the only way forward now for school staff is to strike in Jan

[OverTheRainbow88]

Sadly, I believe, the only way forward now for school staff in to strike in Jan.

Schools are unsafe, understaffed and not ‘covid secure’. This will get much worse in Jan when people are allowed to meet inside in a 3 household bubble and travel freely around ( in England at least).

Joint union statement:

neu.org.uk/media/13741/view

Pretty unprecedented to get all the teaching and headteacher unions to agree on something. Looks like the 4th Jan start for testing won’t be happening.

(Note no hint of strike action)

I know lots of teachers, my step daughter is a teacher. I don’t know one teacher that doesn’t want to be at school.

paas-s3-broker-prod-lon-ae79ddf0-b8b2-4eb4-a891-fbd1df9e587d.s3.amazonaws.com/Schools-Colleges-Testing-Handbook-version-3.7.pdf

Tells you all you need to know!

@spanieleyes

https://paas-s3-broker-prod-lon-ae79ddf0-b8b2-4eb4-a891-fbd1df9e587d.s3.amazonaws.com/Schools-Colleges-Testing-Handbook-version-3.7.pdf

Tells you all you need to know!

Why a non porous floor? Might be obvious no idea.

Quick
Swabbing and processing of these tests will be conducted at a dedicated testing site in school / college once a week either by trained personnel or as a self-test with supervision from trained personnel, with results in around 30 minutes.

At least not any untrained people doing it

I am a teacher and am so upset at what is going on. I love my job and my students, I desperately miss my colleagues. This has been handled so badly by our government. Please God we can go back to normal soon. There’s talk of it lasting until next summer and the damage to kids is going to be irreversible. 😢
Fingers crossed all will miraculously get better.

@GrumblyMumblyisnotJumbly I was just thinking the same ancientgran, my DC is at a secondary with over 2000 pupils.Using the formula spaniel eyes has given that will take 60hrs to test 2000 pupils - so for the first fortnight 9 staff would be working fulltime on testing! Plus don't forget the volunteer staff like singlewon'tmingle speaking to the students being tested. Thanks for doing the calculations, I nearly did but I've got covid apathy.

Is there anywhere with a good and reasonably unbiased (ideally not a pro government "this will be wonderful and easy" sell of it, or a very opposed "this can only be a disaster" condemnation) summary of the proposals for lateral flow testing? I really don't think I understand what's been proposed.

I thought newsnight was interesting. Katharine Birbalsingh was on, I think she is normally very supportive of govt policy (I might have imagined that but that is my impression) and definitely very pro getting kids into school, she was scathing about it.

@MarshaBradyo
Yes, you can get the volunteers trained up in a couple of hours and off they go.

[quote spanieleyes]@MarshaBradyo
Yes, you can get the volunteers trained up in a couple of hours and off they go. [/quote]
I think this household will go for the self administer option. Think my quease factor is set too low. I can’t do the older dc.

The head of our local 6th form college did the calculations too , it would take 10 people to work 18 hours a day to weekly test all 4000 pupils

Also there’s no Ppe, no equipment, no space

An “army of volunteers” may be called up, ... what about crb checks?!

DH is a teacher, and is baffled. Also, he’ll refuse to test pupils.

@ancientgran

Katherine Birbalsingh is a bit marmite and very much star pupil of the DfE. She’s usually very supportive of their measure so it says a lot that she is slating them.

@mrshoho

All I know is that parents have already been emailed regarding the first week back. Volunteers have been requested with "further information to follow". I emailed to say I'd volunteer but not actually administering the test which I've since been told we won't be required to do - the students will do that.

Also, teachers have been continuously creating online learning lessons in case of further lockdowns as well as allowing students who have had to self-isolate to continue their studies.

A non porous floor is one you can wipe clean easily. So no carpet.

Yes I Googled it when I first saw it.

Yes, Katherine B is very Marmite. I don’t think I could work for her. However, she’s all about the education and I suspect is incensed at the idea of being considered a budget offshoot of a failed national testing system.

@bornatXmastobequiet

A non porous floor is one you can wipe clean easily. So no carpet.

Yes I Googled it when I first saw it.

Hmm this doesn’t sound encouraging 🙈

It’s really so it doesn’t harbour virus particles, though it’s true it’s also handy if anyone throws up

@Ispini

I am a teacher and am so upset at what is going on. I love my job and my students, I desperately miss my colleagues. This has been handled so badly by our government. Please God we can go back to normal soon. There’s talk of it lasting until next summer and the damage to kids is going to be irreversible. 😢 Fingers crossed all will miraculously get better.

If they want a non porous floor and a space not many people use. I suggest the main corridor boys toilets in our school.

It would be great because most kids would get those swabs right up those nostrils to block out the smell.

Plus if they aren't gagging whilst there you know they have lost sense of smell and taste. Therefore they have covid. It would save on test kits.

Creative and constructive suggestion, improving on the original proposal Truely

It is therefore unacceptable and Nick Gibb will take you to court if you attempt to implement it.