WTAF schools...

[SoberCurious]

My friend who works for the DfE says they are planning for kids to go back to school in December 😭😭😭

I'm part-time. I worked pretty much all day Monday (from home, planning) even though that's not an actual work day for me.
Does that count in your cunning plan, mrsm43s?

@zafferana

I spoke to the head teacher at my DC's primary this morning. Now that Gavin Williamson has given primary schools flexibility to choose how/when they open they are planning to reopen to more DC before the end of this term. The outrage over schools has only just started. I think there will be changes coming and if we don't have a second wave I'd be surprised if most schools weren't back FT in September.

Ours was already having more children back

For those asking about contracts:

A teacher employed full-time must be available for work for 195 days, of which:

a) 190 days must be days on which the teacher may be required to teach pupils and perform other duties; and

b) 5 days must be days on which the teacher may only be required to perform other duties; and
those 195 days must be specified by the employer or, if the employer so directs, by the headteacher.

1. A teacher employed full-time must be available to perform such duties at such times and such places as may be specified by the headteacher (or, where the teacher is not assigned to any one school, by the employer or the headteacher of any school in which the teacher may be required to work) for 1265 hours, those hours to be allocated reasonably throughout those days in the school year on which the teacher is required to be available for work.

Also please note:

Overarching rights

52.1. No teacher may be required to work on any Saturday, Sunday or public holiday unless their contract of employment expressly provides for this (for example in the case of teachers at residential establishments).

Also:

Work/life balance

52.4. Governing bodies and headteachers, in carrying out their duties, must have regard to the need for the headteacher and teachers at the school to be able to achieve a satisfactory balance between the time required to discharge their professional duties including, in particular, in the case of teachers to whom paragraphs 51.2- 51.12 apply, their duties under paragraph 51.7, and the time required to pursue their personal interests outside work. In having regard to this, governing bodies and headteachers should ensure that they adhere to the working limits set out in the Working Time Regulations 1998(20).

I'm not sure I know any teachers who only work their 'contracted' hours at all so they above point is a joke really.

With all the best will in the world if you don’t work in a school or have a close relationship with someone who does you cannot possibly have the full picture of what it is like to work in a school and what work a teacher in a particular school was or wasn’t directed to do during lockdown.

I think if the government had offered to furlough teachers on 80% pay during lockdown many people would have accepted in a heartbeat. Better that than be held accountable for society’s ills or be made scapegoats when ridiculous government guidance falls to pieces because they haven’t listened to people who work in education at all.

BertNErnie

I agree

And as CallmeAngelina pointed out, Anybody that has been teaching for any amount of time is way above their hours.

I wonder if I should try and get remuneration for all of the weekends and holidays that I have worked over the years.

My DH boards full time... what on Earth will boarding schools do???

God I WISH I could have been furloughed!!!
I could have had an absolute blast these last few weeks!!
Bugger.

The government wonder why the general public are losing faith in them and how they are dealing with crisis
Unfortunately the government know they can do what they like and then pass the buck because there's enough people who are bitter with sizable chips on their shoulders who'll jump at any opportunity to blame the meanie, work-shy teachers.

It makes you wonder why some people send their children to school given schools are apparently full of staff who are lazy, know less about teaching than your average Mumsnetter (who is infinitely more qualified to speak on all matters of pedagogy and school leadership), don't like the children and only in it for the 9-3 hours and massive holidays.

The teachers I know work many hours more than the contracted hours, buy their own stationery & resources for the children and use their own printers when the photocopying budget runs out on day 3 of term.

Some of you are taking the piss.

@FrippEnos some teachers have not bern working much at all. They have been quite open about it. Not their fault obvs. But it is a fact nonetheless.

I know of one teacher who went into a deprived school and worked all hours for the first two years to try and make a difference.

Think of all that back pay she could claim if it gets into a contracted hours argument.

Those who have not been able to do live lessons will have been directed by their schools not to do so.

@whattodo2019

My DH boards full time... what on Earth will boarding schools do???

My remaining boarder's school has already said that they are going back full time in September.

@SoberCurious

The point is though that they have been doing as directed by the school/SLT/HT.

And the HTs have been left in the lurch with poor guidance by the DfE and the government.

Point the blame where it should be directed

Not sure what's more amusing. The original post, which mentioned DfE and planning in the same sentence or people's reaction to the completely made up speculative point of view in the OP.

Oh honestly fuck the fuck off with all this nonsense. Nobody is going to tolerate having the UK still in partial lockdown and no schooling until December while the rest of the world returns to some form of normality. We'd be even more of a laughing stock than we already are. Get a grip!

I'm so angry about this.... my ds is in year 8 and another due to start college in September.

I'm back at work in a sixth form... I cannot keep trying to do this! As a lone parent I don't have time in my day to do work and parenting well!

I am responsible for the well being of 225 kids during the day whilst my own two our amusing themselves home alone!

I'm angry and exhausted

Not sure what's more amusing. The original post, which mentioned DfE and planning in the same sentence or people's reaction to the completely made up speculative point of view in the OP.
The same thing happened before schools closed. Lots of people were speculating based on things someone might have heard third hand via a 'leak' in a national paper that was obviously done to test the waters.

The schools should re open.
The guidance needs to change until they do.
Simple.

The meerkat has spoken people we can all go back to work.

Nobody is going to tolerate having the UK still in partial lockdown and no schooling until December while the rest of the world returns to some form of normality.

depends how the virus is spreading. You can't expect the UK to follow New Zealand rules when we haven't managed to reach the same numbers.

MonsterMissy that is so hard, I don’t blame you for feeling like that : (