Page 7 | "F**k off, Gav. Nobody trusts you"

christinarossetti19 · 21/12/2020 22:25

Practically the only thing he could have done is said there was no need for self-isolation for pupils or teacher who tested positive.

Or advised that no pupil or teacher ever went for a covid test.

SaltyAF · 21/12/2020 23:32

@christinarossetti19

Practically the only thing he could have done is said there was no need for self-isolation for pupils or teacher who tested positive.

Or advised that no pupil or teacher ever went for a covid test.

I would be surprised if this isn't ultimately in the offing.

woodlands01 · 21/12/2020 23:37

Why have I not noticed your name change til now? Think I prefer noblegiraffe - describes you better

BertNErnie · 21/12/2020 23:41

@RufustheSniggeringReindeer

I honestly didnt think i could loathe anyone more than Gove

But williamson managed it

This.

It takes a special kind of incompetence to be loathed more than Gove but Gav has done it.

donquixotedelamancha · 22/12/2020 00:25

your cut ‘n’ paste guidance is unresourced crap

This is the big problem. The DfE has all but stopped functioning under Williamson and what little remains of the LEAs have been ignored. Each school has had to figure things out largely alone.

The DfE used to co-ordinate the UK education system- drive research, engage with the profession, set the agenda, target resources, long term plan.

Now all it does is issue vague guidance with little relation to reality.

FoxyTheFox · 22/12/2020 00:43

Its all going to fall flat anyway. There is a post about testing on the parents FB group for DS' school and not a single parent, out of the 200-something members/parents on the group, has said they are going to consent to their child being tested. One of my friends is on the corresponding group for the hugh school parents which has 300+ members/parents and the story is fairly similar there too.

Its another damp squib.

Achristmaspudsskidu · 22/12/2020 00:47

@FoxyTheFox

Its all going to fall flat anyway. There is a post about testing on the parents FB group for DS' school and not a single parent, out of the 200-something members/parents on the group, has said they are going to consent to their child being tested. One of my friends is on the corresponding group for the hugh school parents which has 300+ members/parents and the story is fairly similar there too.

Its another damp squib.

Are they referring to Testing instead of self-isolating or testing before returning to school in January?

NowellSingWe · 22/12/2020 01:21

@Chloemol No other country's citizens are moaning? Really? How do you explain the mass protests in Germany, France, Spain etc then? US citizens have basically been protesting since April

BluePeterVag · 22/12/2020 01:25

I’m chair of governors in a secondary school. The DfE suggested governors be drafted in to help administer the tests. Absolutely not. Governors have given hours and hours of time, for free, over and above this year. I am knackered from the year itself as well as hours supporting senior leaders wellbeing. I have the utmost respect for everyone who works in a school: admin, SBMs, site staff through to the senior leaders and this year has proven to me that each and every one of them is amazing. Testing kids this way is not our role. I would not be happy to carry out an invasive medical procedure on a child I have not given birth to. I am neither trained nor insured.
If you work in a school, I applaud you for the work you’ve done this year

FoxyTheFox · 22/12/2020 01:35

Are they referring to Testing instead of self-isolating or testing before returning to school in January?

Both. The general sentiment is that they don't want school involved in testing their child, don't want it carried out on school premises, don't want unqualified volunteers involved in the process (with a side thread about the potential for paedophiles that has descended into full "won't somebody think of the children!?" territory) and the only reason they'd consent to their child being tested was if their child had symptoms.

Sinful8 · 22/12/2020 04:03

@noelgiraffe

Gavin Williamson appears to be now more hated than Gove by the education profession, including school leaders and head teachers, which is probably his only achievement since starting the job.

He actually managed to unite all education unions, including heads, governors and the Church of England to write a joint letter refusing to co-operate with his bonkers mass-testing plan. This never happens.

neu.org.uk/media/13741/view

"F**k off Gav. Nobody trusts you. There is no ‘we’. The good will reserves are empty. Some schools are working today on track and trace from last week because you didn’t let them close; your cut ‘n’ paste guidance is unresourced crap. You’re a bad joke."

The above quote from a prominent member of the education community is in response to an article where he gears up to pre-blame teachers and schools for the imminent failure of the mass testing programme that he wants quickly knocked up on a shoestring budget over the Christmas holidays. (Do Serco not have any of their billions of pounds budget left for this?)

twitter.com/educationgovuk/status/1341023021788770307?s=21

Given the complete breakdown in the relationship between Gavin Williamson and the people he is supposed to lead, is it indeed time for Gav to f**k off?

YABU: No, Gav is doing just fine
YANBU: Fuck off, Gav

That or its time for the people he's incharge of to be replaced.

donquixotedelamancha · 22/12/2020 09:22

That or its time for the people he's incharge of to be replaced.

I have been something of a liaison between two people in education with access to senior civil servants in the DfE.

Those civil servants would usually be the people planning and co-ordinating what was going on but for the last year they have found everything out when the PM or Gav announces it. They are literally scrabbling to put out guidance the day after an announcement where before they would have detailed plans, consulted on with schools, ready to go when the announcement is made.

donquixotedelamancha · 22/12/2020 09:29

There actually were detailed plans for mass testing of teachers in schools. They've been in the works for several weeks. They had union buy-in and were well resourced without this nonsense about randomers off the street testing kids. The DfE was involved at every step.

It was due to start in some authorities before Christmas. Gav can't have changed his mind more than two weeks ago but the DfE were still working on it three days before the announcement.

The people who work for him are not useless but there is just no co-ordination within the DfE or with the other parts of Education.

Misssugarplum12764 · 22/12/2020 09:35

I took part in research with the DFE and the people a spoke to were lovely and did seem incredibly competent. I almost feel more sorry for them than I do for school staff!!

Piggyinblankets · 22/12/2020 09:35

I think what you say came out in recent ads (provided by DfE from template) for volunteers for testing which had a bracketed part about DBS checks that read 'may not even be a thing' !

And the 'wrong' leaflets being sent out.

donquixotedelamancha · 22/12/2020 10:00

I think what you say came out in recent ads (provided by DfE from template) for volunteers for testing which had a bracketed part about DBS checks that read 'may not even be a thing'

There is (or was when I read it, it changes every fucking day) nothing about DNS checks in the guidance.

I just said schools should test all kids, starting with Y11 and 13, in the first week back, while providing online teaching to the rest.

It leaves schools to sort the details and says they can maybe claim some staff costs back later.

NowellSingWe · 22/12/2020 10:42

Sadly the DfE have lost so many staff over the last twelve years that it is hardly surprising they're struggling to keep up.with the whims of ministers.

I used to think Nick Gibb had integrity, but the last twelve months have lifted the scales from my eyes.

bornatXmastobequiet · 22/12/2020 10:54

Not DfE but a close relative who is a reasonably high level civil servant in another department says this Gov has zero respect for civil servants, actively despises them and ignores advice, makes up policy on the fly and then blames the civil servants when everything goes pear-shaped. It’s deliberate.

Original poster

noelgiraffe · 22/12/2020 10:56

Well Cummings with his hard rain bullshit is a big influence there.

The government really think they know better than everyone where they are actually thick-as-pigshit and no idea how the real world works.

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ChloeDeckTheHalls · 22/12/2020 11:00

Very informative posts donquixotedelamancha thank you.

quest1on · 22/12/2020 11:22

Totally agree with you 100% noelgiraffe. I have one doing GCSEs next year and another A-levels and I have no words for this GW. Shocking beyond belief. What is actually wrong with the man and why is he in that job? I just can’t believe it.

Can I ask, as we are missing you on the education threads - Do you think he will cancel GCSEs and A-levels?

It feels inevitable, increasingly, but the main stress for kids is the not knowing.

Original poster

noelgiraffe · 22/12/2020 11:43

Wow. The private school headteachers union has joined in support with the state education unions in condemning Gav’s bonkers mass testing plan. This is astonishing stuff.

www.tes.com/news/not-deliverable-private-schools-covid-test-warning

“ Tonight Dr Hyde said: "Schools stand ready to play a part, but they need to be consulted and reassured that plans will work. For too many, there is a lack of confidence in a government department that has let schools down too frequently.

"For these reasons HMC stands with the other school unions in advising our members that the current plan is not deliverable. Independent school heads and their state colleagues have done everything possible to keep children educated, but they cannot turn their schools into emergency clinics in a few working days.

"It is time for the secretary of state to understand that the aspirations of central government need much more thorough planning and engagement if they are to be successful. HMC remains willing to help make that happen."”

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Achristmaspudsskidu · 22/12/2020 11:46

@noelgiraffe

Wow. The private school headteachers union has joined in support with the state education unions in condemning Gav’s bonkers mass testing plan. This is astonishing stuff.

www.tes.com/news/not-deliverable-private-schools-covid-test-warning

“ Tonight Dr Hyde said: "Schools stand ready to play a part, but they need to be consulted and reassured that plans will work. For too many, there is a lack of confidence in a government department that has let schools down too frequently.

"For these reasons HMC stands with the other school unions in advising our members that the current plan is not deliverable. Independent school heads and their state colleagues have done everything possible to keep children educated, but they cannot turn their schools into emergency clinics in a few working days.

"It is time for the secretary of state to understand that the aspirations of central government need much more thorough planning and engagement if they are to be successful. HMC remains willing to help make that happen."”

Wow-that is interesting!

NowellSingWe · 22/12/2020 11:46

That is fantastic- all schools and sites of education should stand shoulder to shoulder on this one.

Original poster

noelgiraffe · 22/12/2020 11:50

Do you think he will cancel GCSEs and A-levels?

I don’t know. The current administration tend to full steam ahead with their ideological position until it becomes completely untenable.

I’m not sure if there’s a threshold for completely untenable when it comes to holding the exams.

It is unfortunately a situation with no good answers. CAGs and cancelling exams also bring massive problems.

At the moment I’d still prefer holding exams, but my view as a maths teacher will be very different to other subjects. Exams are the best way to assess maths.

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