Any other cold school staff out there?

[Flatwhite32]

First world problem, but I'm a primary teacher and my god school is freezing with all the windows open (which I know is necessary) and no heating. I'm wearing lots of layers, but I just feel so so cold during the day, and I've got a 30 weeks old baby inside me for some internal warmth! Anyone feeling the same?! Brrrrr.

Not all classrooms are made equal (let alone all schools), Mistress

I run hot, am always the warmest person in any room, can't bear an open fire, and have windows open a bit all the time at home.

But - it is utterly freezing in my classroom. It's cold in normal years (poor insulation, rubbish blower heater that only comes on very briefly, door to corridor is directly opposite an outside door and windows are north facing) but this year...bloody hell. I still cant feel some of my fingers tonight.

Colleagues' classrooms, though, are fine. They have wet radiators which are permanently on, are south facing, etcetc.

I'm in secondary. All windows and doors are open but heating is on some of the day. I just keep my warm winter coat and scarf on all day and I am finding it just about ok.

You should get your union involved if no heating is on

Absolutely. They will bring a portable heater(s) in if the temperature is too low. We might need to be colder than normal, but we don't need to have inadequate heaters as well. Complain!

I feel so sorry for you all I cannot cope in the cold!

Are the kids allowed scarves and coats in the classroom at your secondary school or just the teachers @Reiningitin please?
Kids at DD’s school in the very north of England are still only allowed to wear jumpers in the classroom with all windows flung open before they get in on a morning and they stay wide open all day. The teachers wear hats scarves and gloves and the teachers can also move about within their box to keep warm whilst teaching. Yes the kids have headaches with the cold and says her hands are so cold she struggles to write.

My heating is on -electric heaters in my rather damp and chilly mobile. However, if it detects an open window it cuts out.Can't seem to override in any way. Brrrrr!!

Thermals, coat, wear what I want.Tell children the same.

My SLT are removing all plug in heaters next week. Fire risk.

No heating. Doors and windows wide open.

For staff - the bean bag muscle strain bags (wheat bags)? which you put in the microwave..... heat them up between lessons and wear under your scarf.

I really feel the cold. I'm always bloody cold.
We are already in hats. God forbid January coming round.

I've bought thermal leggings and black wool socks for DD under her skirt and thermal vests and fingerless gloves. Her school is the stupid uniform police variety so I'm trying to work round it. I think she might get away with a Uniqlo body warmer under her blazer as well.

Meanwhile I still can't get my son in a coat despite the 0 temperature.

It will make me ill if there's no heating. How does that help the students.

@Sweetchillijam yes the pupils are allowed to wear coats and scarves, as well as a plain dark coloured hoody or fleece over their uniforms. They have had the option to buy a warm hoody with the school logo on which lots have done as they were not expensive. I have heard relatively few complaints so far about being cold. I definitely think boys feel it less!!

The guidance on this has been updated. You are allowed just the windows slightly open for constant background ventilation, then you are advised to open them more fully, plus doors etc during breaks to change the air more completely.

On my phone so struggling to find the document to link for you.

1. slightly open is all most windows in school can do so we are mostly talking about the temps being so low even with "slightly open" (I have my windows open wider at home but have actual decent heating - radiators - that work).

2. I'm not closing them further or the doors as creating a through breeze is literally the only mitigation we have against this disease. We're just going to have to be absolutely freaking cold all winter. I am not shutting doors nor windows; they're only open 3 inches anyway.

Thanks @Reiningitin that would be more humane. At DD’s school in the north of England they have been told no coats or scarves or anything on top of jumpers for the pupils. As they want to see the school logo and year flash on jumpers. Also contacts are not allowed as they detract from learning. However, teaching in big coats, hats, scarves and in some instances gloves seems to be acceptable.
Pupils can wear a vest or a t shirt under their school shirt if they are cold!

I would complain about the lack of flexibility on uniform rather than the ventilation. I don't understand a school doing that.
The long sleeved heat tops you can get in the likes of M&S or Sainsbury’s are excellent though. I doubt there are child sizes but maybe a small would fit?

Wonder how many of out MP's are sitting in freezing offices trying to concentrate and work.

The conversation recently from my ds and his peers is veering towards them taking action just like we do. Things like them all getting together and taking legal action against the government, petitions, sit ins, and demos.

Many at secondary/6th form are more than aware of how they have been screwed over in all of this. That their general health and mental health have seriously been messed with and this is continuing.

If the band of muppets want to keep these schools open no matter what, they have to put a ban on strict uniform policies and to allow them to wear coats etc in the classroom.

@chuffedasbuttons
If plug-in heater have been PAT tested then what fire risk do they pose?
Did the same fire risks apply in previous years with the use of fans on hot days?

We're in Northern Scotland.
My dd doesn't feel the cold (weird kid) but she has problems with her hands getting too cold... they go bright orangey red, extremely dry and crack (she has eczema as well). The combination of a freezing classroom and regular hand gel got so bad before half term that her hands were bleeding! We now moisturise twice a day and it's not so bad at the moment, but I do feel bad for her and the teachers.

Poor you and the poor children too. I doubt people who think the teachers should just get on with it would be happy to work in such conditions and it’s just at the very start of winter.

Lots of thin layers! Invest in thermals and instead of a big jumper layer up, wear a scarf and start liking hats. Hot drinks in thermos cups and hot water bottle and blanket on your seat for when your sitting. Your pupils are likely to be cold as well and they have small bodies so imagine how they're finding it.

Many people are having to do this now, your not alone but you have to work with it for the time being. This is a unique time and it will change.

DD is 15 and tall and taller than the average women so she would fit thanksso she would fit thanks @MistressIggi.

Yes @canigooutyet DD is quite angry but being absolutely freezing in the classroom and seeing her peers is preferable to her than the shambolic attempts at lockdown learning from her school.

@Crakeandoryx DD is 15 and taller than many adults, so not such little bodies. Also if your sitting snug hugging hot drinks, wrapped in blankets whilst the poor kids have a headache with the cold and are shivering in just jumpers how do you think your pupils will be feeling? They can’t even get a hot meal at lunch time as the canteen is only serving cold food now.

That's another thing they are pissed off at @Sweetchillijam
Government suspended the curriculum, but some schools said basically bollocks to that and carried on learning new materials.

Just had a text from DD y11 saying things have kicked off at school and half the year group have walked out not quite sure why but another child has tested positive. She wants to stay.

I've been thinking more about what I've been hearing them saying and tbh, maybe this is what they will have to do to be listened to. En masse walk outs, arriving late, uniform infringements etc. Things that would normally get a sad face photo in the newspapers.

From March school staff have been ignored and essentially told to shut up, go away and do your job. (whatever that description was at the time - carer to ppe maker)
When the guidelines were set out, again, shut up and do as you're told. Many of who stated the fucking obvious of cold weather and how well ventilated classrooms would be, ie, might as well just be outside.

Yes I know at nursery doors are open all day. Staff and kids are also moving around. They aren't sitting at a desk all day. They are also dressed appropriately for the weather, and when things are too cold, those nursery doors do get closed and time outside limited.

Ffs. How much longer is this actually sustainable?! The government are carping on about school being the best place for children not just for education, but their mental health. How many children are actually learning sat shivering in a classroom all day? For the older ones too, they must be quite rightly scared that they will contract the virus, especially if they live with elderly or vulnerable relatives. And they don't even have a choice in any of this. They are being forced into this situation.
As for mental health? my 12YO DD has had a breakdown and we were forced to deregister her from school! Secondaries are a really shit place for kids to be right now and they should be closed until some proper safety measures and rotas are put in place. This isn't good for anyone.

The only reason we haven't deregistered is because we are in gcse years.
Trying to teach at that level is hard enough, never mind trying to sort out the practicalities of the exams themselves.

Whilst his MH is holding up, he goes and wears whatever he thinks is appropriate for the temp. If he gets in trouble, I have told him I will deal with it.

And of course the schools don't want us to deregister because they need every single penny even more so at the moment.

And let's be honest, how many teachers/support staff, are going to issue detentions because students are wearing coats etc. in lessons? Or they are wearing much warmer, none standard school shoes?

Just got home from another day at school. I’ve never had behaviour problems in the past, but kids are pissed off, they are angry. Behaviour has been challenging this week and the year 8 in particular have been rude and defiant. Children who have been happy in the past are fed up.

On the other hand my other class today just sat and were silent - 2 hours straight it was painful. No one volunteered to answer questions; there was no back and forth discussion; no enthusiasm; just miserable disengaged faces staring at me. It was in a way worse than the lesson where kids misbehaved.

Attendance is slipping everyday. The school remains freezing cold and I’m grumpy too, though I’m trying not to be with the kids. It feels like everyone is giving up.

Please tell me others are experiencing this in secondary and it’s not just me!

A bit of that, DBML.

So many previously lively, gorgeous classes who are now just a bit miserable and half asleep with the cold. And naughty classes are naughtier than normal. Manageable but definitely worse.