Class teacher is currently COVID positive.

[Moelwynbach]

My son is due to start his new class year next week. We have notification from school to say that his class teacher is COVID positive so he will be starting later, this is yet another pain in the arse that I can do nothing about. I have no alternative childcare other than wrap around school club and holiday club.
Under the new rules on an ongoing basis do schools have to replace teachers with supply teachers or is the onus still on parents to use their infinite leave.
Please be aware that I know that this cannot be helped but my workplace wont be over chuffed if I keep having to take time off work!

I’d be amazed if any primary school in our cluster had money to pay supply for Covid absence. We insure against long term sick but even then we have to cover the first two weeks, and it doesn’t cover Covid. Cover would quickly bankrupt a school.

I know a retired (early) teacher now supply teacher who got a job in boots and bloody loves it. She wont be back in the classroom.

@JulesCobb

I know a retired (early) teacher now supply teacher who got a job in boots and bloody loves it. She wont be back in the classroom.

I think this is more common than we actually realise, and quite frankly l don’t blame them. The main reason ST’s are in demand at the moment is to cover staff Covid absences, meaning in most cases there could be a risk that the class they are covering has been exposed. With no sick pay it’s not worth the risk if you feel you are at risk. That job in Boots or the DWP looks much more attractive.

Pretty much every sector I've spoken to recently has had trouble filling vacancies. I have struggled for staff since May in what was once quite a competitive field that didn't rely overly on foreign workers. I'm not surprised schools (especially secondary schools though not the OP's example) are struggling.
More people are studying post grad though apparently.

Also. Not to be negative but we can't know that this will be the only positive test this year. Last year medical professionals all got covid in march, then again at Christmas (generally after their first jabs), and then some of them the delta variant in June/July. Vaccines do reduce likelihood of a positive test though mainly reduce symptoms, especially AZ which many vulnerable teachers will have had. Hopefully we won't have any more variants racing through the community but it's not a given.

They should be getting in supply staff.

They should be using a cover teacher. This is unacceptable. I am a teacher and there is no way that this would happen in my school unless there were a large number of staff off. One teacher can be replaced with a supply teacher.

Michael Rosen on the classroom conditions kids and staff will be facing this Winter. I think this is why many schools will struggle to find cover . He really doesn’t rate Williamson’s efforts or ability.

www.theguardian.com/education/2021/sep/04/dear-gavin-williamson-now-we-know-what-your-plans-are-for-covid-safe-classrooms-er-um

My daughter going into Y4 will be taught be a TA for a week from Monday as her teacher is positive.

@cansu

They should be using a cover teacher. This is unacceptable. I am a teacher and there is no way that this would happen in my school unless there were a large number of staff off. One teacher can be replaced with a supply teacher.

Indeed I know of schools that have had to close when there was a staff outbreak and everyone had to go and get tested but even then they were back open in 2 days with supply staff etc

Eh?

What if she had broken her leg later in the term and needed to be off for 6 weeks? Would they just send her class home for the whole time? This seems odd to me.

They should be providing cover, just as with any staff illness.

You should send him to school. Its up to the school to provide cover. Absolutely hopeless.

We can't get cover for love or money from supply at the moment and due to all the real terms funding cuts all our TA are ehcp linked to one specific child so can't cover. We don't have class TA anymore.

People have no idea how strained schools are right now.

This was always going to happen and will happen throughout the UK this term. Repeated closures will be common. Who knew adults worked in schools and would get ill if we let it spread?

@Penistoe

At our school, the class would definitely be covered by another teacher/supply

If they can find one. Lots of supply teachers found themselves out of work so took other jobs.

This. In most cases, supply teachers found themselves unable to work, but excluded from claiming furlough (because they're effectively freelancers, there was no employer willing and able to furlough them) and excluded from claiming SEISS because they were taxed on the PAYE system, not self assessment.

Having been left high and dry, and not knowing if the schools would close again and they'd be screwed over again, they've left the profession altogether.

If the school can't get as supply teacher, blame Rishi Sunak.

When DD's teacher had to isolate last term he taught them online on a big screen with a TA in the room to keep order/help, was fine for a week

This is a situation we are worried about at my school.
Small school - awaiting appointment of new head
Part time secretary
4 teachers
2 TA's (one is 1:1)
Literally no wiggle room.
No money for cover even if we could get it.
Likely scenario is 1 teacher off then we double classes into the hall, but that only works if we haven't got Covid circulating and bubble system back in place.
2 teachers off - school will have to close.
If I am off sick (even if not seriously unwell) I will NOT be remote teaching. Good will has gone!

@BritishSummertime

When DD's teacher had to isolate last term he taught them online on a big screen with a TA in the room to keep order/help, was fine for a week

This teacher isn’t isolating. This teacher is actually sick. Nobody should be working, from home or otherwise, when they are sick.

@AICM

Funny place Mumsnet.

A thread A day or so was started about a Pharmacy closing because there were no staff. The MN verdict- if they can't get the staff they have to close.

If a school can't get staff they have to magic them out of this air.

Just for the sake of completeness, I'll say it to get it over with:

"I'd be fuming"

There it's been said, the standard MN response to a school issue. No body needs to say it now.

Schools generally have TA's, headteachers, deputy heads etc. who can cover classes in an emergency though, @AICM. If a school can't get in a supply teacher, they should at least have enough staff around to supervise a class for a few days.

But pharmacies cannot legally operate without a pharmacist on duty - the two situations aren't really comparable. If they can't get a qualified pharmacist, they're stuffed.

@Viviennemary

You should send him to school. Its up to the school to provide cover. Absolutely hopeless.

So…if the school has no money for supply, or (as is very likely) there is no supply available as supply teachers don’t want to go into environments with no mitigation against covid or have changed professions over the last 18 months (plenty of PPs have given reasons for and examples of this) what do you suggest they do?

Schools generally have TA's, headteachers, deputy heads etc. who can cover classes in an emergency though, @AICM. If a school can't get in a supply teacher, they should at least have enough staff around to supervise a class for a few days
@icedcoffees small primaries often don’t have non-teaching heads and deputies. Class TAs are a thing of the last. And we don’t know whether this teacher is the only absence at the school…

@cardibach

Schools generally have TA's, headteachers, deputy heads etc. who can cover classes in an emergency though, *@AICM*. If a school can't get in a supply teacher, they should at least have enough staff around to supervise a class for a few days *@icedcoffees* small primaries often don’t have non-teaching heads and deputies. Class TAs are a thing of the last. And we don’t know whether this teacher is the only absence at the school…

You're right that we don't know who else is off sick.

But all the schools around here have TA's - a friend of mine just took a job as one at our local primary, in fact. None of the heads teach a full timetable either.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect your child to go back to school when they're due back, though!

It isn't unreasonable to expect your child to go back to school when they are due but when there are no other options it is what it is. Teachers have been shot down when they raised this issue time and time again during the last 18 months. No one listened.

@Awalkintime

It isn't unreasonable to expect your child to go back to school when they are due but when there are no other options it is what it is. Teachers have been shot down when they raised this issue time and time again during the last 18 months. No one listened.

I agree with this. No point getting arsey at the school - everything is broken.

@Awalkintime

It isn't unreasonable to expect your child to go back to school when they are due but when there are no other options it is what it is. Teachers have been shot down when they raised this issue time and time again during the last 18 months. No one listened.

Gavin Williamson is supposed to run the schools. We really should be taking it up with him. How he didn’t realise that supply teachers would just switch jobs is incredible, he must have known this was coming, it’s been going on for the last year. Once they weren’t furloughed or entitled to sick pay what did he expect.