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Original poster

Are there any teachers on MN happy that schools are back to relative 'normal' in September?

75 replies

mostwonderfultime · 12/07/2020 10:58

The opinion from teachers on MN of schools opening for all dc in September seems very negative. In contrast my dc's Secondary School teachers (year 10 and 8) all seem pleased - some saying they'd hoped they had been back after June half term. I appreciate this is Real Life and they may be lying but they seem genuine.
I also have 2 friends who are also secondary school teachers - all different schools who can't wait to get back to school instead of organising home learning whilst looking after their own dc. Seems such a contrast to what I read on here.

OP posts:
Flipfloptanlines · 12/07/2020 11:00

Yes. I am a teacher and I want all children to return with no social distancing.

SionnachRua · 12/07/2020 11:02

It is possible to be happy to be back and also angry at the lack of effective measures being put in place to keep teachers and students healthy.

Jrobhatch29 · 12/07/2020 11:02

I am a primary teacher but I am on maternity. None of my friends at work are complaining about september though. Two are pregnant and one is returning from shielding as well. They have complained about the workload of teaching in school for the bubbles, preparing home learning, writing reports, hand delivering reports etc though

Popfan · 12/07/2020 11:23

Yes totally. Children need to be at school.

Cattiwampus · 12/07/2020 11:26

Supply teachers who haven’t been paid since March and were not eligible for furlough.

Flagsfiend · 12/07/2020 11:26

I'm happy to be back in September teaching - I miss the students. I'm not happy with the government guidelines - I think they show how little they care about children and staff, as they aren't providing extra funding for cleaning or a reasonable solution to transport etc. I'm also sad that science practicals are removed and not sure how effective I can be as a teacher staying 2m away from students and at the front of the room, it's hard to give individual support or have a quiet word with a student like that. I'll do my best and follow the guidelines as much as I can, as I expect outbreaks in schools will be blamed on us.

Tilly28 · 12/07/2020 11:32

Happy to be back and teaching. Not happy with the lack of protection or care for children and adults health within schools. I feel like it’s inevitable that schools/bubbles will constantly be closing and there will be plenty of anxiety and worry amongst staff and parents at the sign of anyone being ill. As of September I will be in an upstairs room with 30 children, one window which opens approx 15cm, no protection of me, my LSA or my children. We will be in that room for 5 out of the 6 hours the children are in school and we will eat our lunches in that room too!

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 12/07/2020 11:32

I am a pregnant teacher (due in September) so my view is a little different.

I didn’t send my DD back in June even though she could have as she was in the correct year group. She also could have been in the KW group. We made that choice because it was safer for us as a family.

I think she needs to go back in September. She’s not herself at the minute and I want my happy little girl back. I’m planning on working the first couple of weeks before going on maternity leave and I will want to be in school for that.

As a PP said, I want school to go back to normal but I am not happy with how the government are dictating how that should happen without consulting with schools who will actually have to implement it. Head teachers and school staff should have a say.

Tilly28 · 12/07/2020 11:34

Oh yes and totally forgot about the 1 toilet up to 20 staff will share and the 8 toilets that will be shared between 180 children! With no extra money for cleaning so ultimately they will be cleaned after school each day and not during the day unless teachers/LSAs are released from their bubbles to clean them throughout the day!

motherrunner · 12/07/2020 11:35

I would be happier if I would be returning to a relative normal.

However I will now be working 8-4 with a 20 minute as I will now be doing 4 duties a day. I won’t have a classroom as will be moving to my classes so will need to take my day’s worth of resources with me. I will need to go from 8-12.40 without being to have a toilet or drinks break.

I would rather we returned as normal and had sanitiser in classrooms and increased cleaning. As my school can not afford to pay for extra cleaners or extra cleaning time we are penning students into rooms all day to save contamination spread.

Boxachocs · 12/07/2020 11:37

I am a primary teacher. I’m happy to be going back full time but what I’m not happy about is the double standards. The news today is that we should all wear face masks in the shops because it spreads more easily inside but bizarrely it doesn’t in schools 🤷‍♀️. Just an ackowldegement that it can spread in schools and maybe regular testing in schools would make me feel better.

OverTheRainbow88 · 12/07/2020 11:38

These threads are getting dull and always turn into teacher bashing or teachers moaning!

Yup happy to be back with all 1700 kids! Will be a blast!

motherrunner · 12/07/2020 11:39

@Boxachocs

I am a primary teacher. I’m happy to be going back full time but what I’m not happy about is the double standards. The news today is that we should all wear face masks in the shops because it spreads more easily inside but bizarrely it doesn’t in schools 🤷‍♀️. Just an ackowldegement that it can spread in schools and maybe regular testing in schools would make me feel better.
Yes. Gove on Andrew Marr:

Asked about the issue on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Gove said: "I don't think mandatory, no, but I would encourage people to wear face masks when they are inside, in an environment where they are likely to be mixing with others and where the ventilation may not be as good as it might.
"I think that it is basic good manners, courtesy and consideration, to wear a face mask if you are, for example, in a shop."

But not in a school.

TennisButterfly · 12/07/2020 11:44

I'll be very happy to be back to relative normal. This year has been the hardest I have ever worked, providing homeschooling resources and teaching in school has been exhausting - like doing 2 jobs. I qualified in 2004 and even my first year wasn't as hard as this.
I said on another thread I don't like cleaning toilets but if that's what I've got to do to get everyone back then I'll do whatever it takes.

rc22 · 12/07/2020 11:44

I have reservations (especially over the face mask thing) but generally looking forward to getting back to something nearer to normal in school in September.

MollyAtTheFolly · 12/07/2020 11:48

I'm happy to be going back in a normal-ish way in September. Most of us are in our school (two aren't happy at all).

I don't envy secondary schools at all - I think they have been thrown right under the bus.

I'm livid the government is not giving extra funds for cleaning or other costs incurred. Budgets are tiny as it is.

I'm on the fence with PPE to be honest - mainly because I am hearing impaired and I would really struggle.

FrippEnos · 12/07/2020 12:20

mostwonderfultime

You have either misinterpreted the threads or are just listening to the wankers that are saying that teachers don't want to go back.

No teacher on MN has said that they don't want to go back
No teacher has said that they don't think that the kids should be back.

Some teachers (the majority) have said that they are unhappy with the piss poor provision and guidance laid out by the DfE and government.

Especially where it comes to health and safety of everyone in the school.

Sleepyblueocean · 12/07/2020 12:34

I think ds's teachers will be. It's an asd special school and most of the children have been in through out anyway but in a restricted regime. One has said she is looking forward to being able to take them off site again, some of the residential pupils having not left the site since March.

Letseatgrandma · 12/07/2020 12:42

@FrippEnos

mostwonderfultime

You have either misinterpreted the threads or are just listening to the wankers that are saying that teachers don't want to go back.

No teacher on MN has said that they don't want to go back
No teacher has said that they don't think that the kids should be back.

Some teachers (the majority) have said that they are unhappy with the piss poor provision and guidance laid out by the DfE and government.

Especially where it comes to health and safety of everyone in the school.

This x 100.

We’ve all been back in school full time since June. We are in incredibly well organised bubbles, everyone feels safe and it’s worked very well.

Scrapping this and going for business as normal, classes of 32, no room to social distance, no money for extra cleaning and masks being strictly forbidden feels rather like we have been thrown under a bus.

Bluepolkadots42 · 12/07/2020 13:04

Secondary school teacher here and I am very happy to be returning to work in September because quite frankly trying to work from home with a 2 year old and no childcare has been a living nightmare. I will be skipping in come September once I've dropped DD to nursery.

What I will say though- as PP have already said, I think the safety measures and provisions that government have said are fine are pretty poor. Why do we need masks on transport and supermarkets but not in classrooms? I think tbh if my working from home scenario wasn't so nightmarish and so seriously impacted on my stress and anxiety levels then I would be more focused on safety concerns and more worried about returning, but as things stand get me back asap!

Dorual · 12/07/2020 13:13

Yes, if children and staff wear masks.

Letseatgrandma · 12/07/2020 13:28

I think staff and children should be in masks.

If they are recommended in shops and on public transport, they should be worn in schools.

I also think money should be made available to schools for additional cleaning staff, supply teachers to cover staggered timings, soap, hand sanitizer and washing stations.

It feels like the government just want things back to normal but don’t want to give schools a penny in order to make it happen. Some heads were on Twitter last week saying they think it’s cost tens of thousands extra to set up ready for schools safely opening following guidance. No additional money has been forthcoming though.

Rainbow12e · 12/07/2020 13:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Dotinthecity · 12/07/2020 13:38

We’ve had all the children back for at least a couple of days a week, at our school. With the exception of a couple of members of staff, we’re all very happy that they’re coming back and would happily have them back as normal in September. None of us feel that we’re at any greater risk than anyone else and the parents are all happy too. We’re all washing hands very regularly and all door handles, etc, are being sanitised regularly but we’re not fearful or hysterical. I think the negative people are in the majority, it’s just that they tend to make the most noise!

PumpkinPie2016 · 12/07/2020 13:45

I'm a secondary teacher and I am happy to be going back in September. I miss the kids and my colleagues.

It won't be easy as we are zoning kids to keep year group bubbles so staff are moving. Will mean lugging the day's resources plus my personal belongings around the (very large) school. Not looking forward to no science practicalsSad

Overall though, very happy to be going back and teaching normal lessons. Fed up of emails/teams and zoom now!