Teachers are you actually considering working through the weekends and bank holidays?

[Bulb1976]

I am trying to keep calm but I’m getting increasingly agitated by people on MN who suggest that teachers should work through weekends etc.
We are putting ourselves in danger EVERY day just by being in close proximity to hundreds of children who could very well cause us to get Coronavirus ourselves. Yet, some parents don’t care whatsoever and still expect us to parent their children (let’s face there are many kids in schools right now whose parents are classed as key workers but in reality are not).
Teachers, for yourselves and your own families don’t allow yourselves to be used. Take time off to rest as you will burn out otherwise.

As far as I'm aware schools will be expected to open over the holidays.
A rota has been made for the next 3 or 4 weeks I think. I work in a school (not a teacher), but I will be in every day for a couple of hours on a rota with myself as there's no one to rota with. Wasn't expecting to work over the holidays, but never mind.

I WON'T do weekends though!

Why are there hundreds of children in your school? How big is it?

It’s a big Academy, lunch duty means we are stuck in a hall with lots of children at once. It’s very dangerous and I can guarantee there’s no social distancing here.

Primary?

Secondary

Then having hundreds of children in is bonkers. What is your SLT doing?? I'm not surprised you're angry. It's easier to be pragmatic about the need to step up when you know you are doing what is required and no more.

We are definitely opening in the holidays which is fine by me.

There shouldn't be 100s of children in your school.

We're opening holidays and bank holidays (not weekends yet) we have about 30 students coming in from all MAT schools, so we are on a skeleton staff rota, and only having to go in for about 1 day each over the holidays.

The first thing is to get the number of children coming in down!

Why would a secondary be full surely teenagers can babysit themselves?

And I totally agree op. I know some "keyworkers" and there is absolutely nothing key about their jobs. Although in some cases it's the employers shafting them and forcing them into unpaid leave if they disagree.

Few companies I'll be 100% avoiding from now on.

So are we.

SLT aren’t doing anything. But to a certain extent their hands are tied behind their backs. It’s cf parents that claim they are key workers when clearly they aren’t but because gov guidelines are so vague they are getting away with it.

They need to be having sterner conversations. It's not whether the parents are key workers. Its whether the children would not be safe at home. That is what the parents have to justify.

Government advice is also that schools are childcare of last resort, and any children who can stay home at all should.

I don't think their hands are tied.

NEU and NASUWT are both very clear on this, so ask your union for advice!

I suspect SLT need to look at their list a little more closely OP.

To be fair there are teachers on another thread calling a guy who 'works in computer games' the laziest man on earth because he doesn't want to look after his kids during the week - and then catch up on his work during evenings and weekends!

Should be fine on a rota.

Honestly, it’s getting me down.

Our HT has been going through the list of children with a fine tooth comb, and has had words with a number of parents whose claims to be on the list were thin. Their children are no longer in. In a school of 450, we currently have 10 here.

I'll bet it is. Sorry your leaders haven't stepped up.

DFE has apparently told schools they have to, if what our SLT told us is correct. Given for me to be in mine, mine has to be open to take our children, I think we will just have to chin up and carry on at the moment. Our school also anticipate that as the weeks go on, the numbers will drop as parents find they really aren't needed at work and as people do get ill.

Thanks everyone, it’s good to see we at least support each other

I work in a school (not a teacher) we have all been put on a rota that covers weekends and all over Easter. Fine. I am more than happy to do my bit. However all the SLT, Teachers and LSAs are doing 3 days in with 9 days off but me and other colleague (only 2 of us) have been told that our rota is 3 days on and only 3 days off. I am fuming. We have basically been told to like it or lump it!

Your headteacher is a fault, I’m a key worker and my ex is also a key worker. The school has been so tough on admissions (rightly so) that we’ve approached our bosses and now work opposite shifts. Our daughter is homeschooling herself thanks YouTube

Stellabellawella. That’s very unfair. So much of being in this together. Obviously you are valued less! I would ask to be on the same rota as others and the highest paid should lead by example as they are not suffering loss of earnings. Or it seems, much time off work!

I agree that SLT needs to look at this.

The secondaries here (a mixture of advantaged and disadvantaged areas) are all averaging 10 students only.