Extended School holidays leaked document (Scotland )

[Peppafrig]

What’s everyone’s feelings on the leaked document suggesting school holidays could be extended till the 11th January ? I think it makes sense to keep them shut for the week. Allowing everyone to not mix again for two weeks after the Christmas bubbles end . Seems like it could save a further even longer lockdown later on in January.

As a teacher, I'd far rather schools remained open. Remote learning can not come close to replacing the live school experience. School is so much more than formal lessons.
However I would appreciate if my pupils stopped having play dates and sleepovers during lockdown. With 5 year olds, pretty much our only mitigating factor is to open the window!

@DollyMixtureLulus

I live on my own and I've not seen my parents since last January. They're having elderly relatives (none of whom go anywhere any more) for Christmas so I'll spending Christmas on my own if we finish when we're scheduled to, on the 22nd.

I was sorely tempted to be ill that last week. I won't, because I have a huge guilty conscience, but I'm not surprised that others would.

That is absolutely awful, I am so sorry Are there no other friends or family who you could call to, that you wouldn't be a 'risk' to? I hope you can sort something out

I don't want to risk anyone! My friends largely work from home and have their own families anyway.

The crushing guilt of being The Most Likely To Infect Everyone Else really doesn't inspire the festive spirit.

@Nicknacky

You are ‘fucked off’ at the idea of schools closing for another week.

Absolutely do get a grip. No one is in an ideal situation at the moment. But I currently don’t get to talk to another adult all day or at the fucking weekend because of the state of schools at the moment. I don’t see my parent or have any support.

Teachers are parents too. My dad is 90 and ill. This might be his last Christmas. And I won’t see him because I’m in a classroom all day with teenagers who won’t social distance or wear masks.

You are fucked off. I am livid. There is no protection for education staff or their families. I’ve been put in a position where I am alone with DD or working flat out to provide online work and class work with no help or support from colleagues. Because the fucking government worked out a few weeks ago that teachers were getting sick and now we’re all banned from sitting together.

So I can stand with a mask on I front of 34 unruly, unmasked kids but I can’t get any emotional support from a family member or another member of staff.

And then I go home to parent all weekend alone because DH is flat out on shift and is never here.

You aren’t the only one with problem who is at breaking point. The stress and worry is enormous and not helped by parents harping on about what shits we are for wanting extra protection.

@DollyMixtureLulus

It’s shit isn’t it. And it wouldn’t be so bad if a large chunk of parents weren’t so determined to see us as arseholes that want to take their childcare away.

I hope you have a lovely Christmas.

@DollyMixtureLulus

I don't want to risk anyone! My friends largely work from home and have their own families anyway.

The crushing guilt of being The Most Likely To Infect Everyone Else really doesn't inspire the festive spirit.

You are no higher risk to them than their own school age dc who are also mixing in school. I hate the thought of you alone for 2 or 3 weeks!

BelleSausage And yet you say you are a teacher and the is the attitude you have towards the parents of the kids in your care? I haven’t said a word about your “protection”.

I’m a high risk occupation and I just get on with it. And I don’t have the bonus of holidays over Christmas unlike yourself.

Pandering to the bloody EIS

The harm to children caused by closing schools will be with us for many years.

BelleSausage Fucking childcare? For 13 years I have willingly paid childcare for my children. If you know of childcare I can get between the hours that my daughter is in school for four days, then I’m all ears and my problems are solved.

I'll be fine really! But I can completely understand those who would make that choice.

[quote BelleSausage]@Nicknacky

You are ‘fucked off’ at the idea of schools closing for another week.

Absolutely do get a grip. No one is in an ideal situation at the moment. But I currently don’t get to talk to another adult all day or at the fucking weekend because of the state of schools at the moment. I don’t see my parent or have any support.

Teachers are parents too. My dad is 90 and ill. This might be his last Christmas. And I won’t see him because I’m in a classroom all day with teenagers who won’t social distance or wear masks.

You are fucked off. I am livid. There is no protection for education staff or their families. I’ve been put in a position where I am alone with DD or working flat out to provide online work and class work with no help or support from colleagues. Because the fucking government worked out a few weeks ago that teachers were getting sick and now we’re all banned from sitting together.

So I can stand with a mask on I front of 34 unruly, unmasked kids but I can’t get any emotional support from a family member or another member of staff.

And then I go home to parent all weekend alone because DH is flat out on shift and is never here.

You aren’t the only one with problem who is at breaking point. The stress and worry is enormous and not helped by parents harping on about what shits we are for wanting extra protection.[/quote]
I am unclear as to why you are making this about teachers. The decision wasn't made by teachers or for teachers. It is about community transmission surely?

I don't think your situation is much different to Nicknackys, they frustration she is expressing is aimed at the government I believe, not you.

We know you have families, so do we. I will be working right through Christmas - I believe Nicknacky will be too if I am right about their occupation. But we aren't asking for any reduction or closure in our service, in fact we want to have childcare so that we can work.

I feel you are making this more personal than it needs to be. No one said you are a 'shit'. Everyone is simply expressing their view - please don't turn this into another teacher bashing thread.

@DollyMixtureLulus

I'll be fine really! But I can completely understand those who would make that choice.

To be honest, so can I and I wouldn't hold it against you in your situation...

@Nicknacky

You have no idea how much I give to my job. I am just sick and tired of being out in the same position as NHS staff (who are angels) and being told I am a shit for wanting the same level of protection.

I reflect the attitude that some one this site have towards teachers- dreadful.

I’m not your bloody childcare. I don’t want my elderly dad to be alone all Christmas to sort out your childcare issues. Why would I? You seem to have no such concern for my health and well being.

Teaching is not about the parents. Teaching is about the kids. I go the extra distance for mine and get it slammed back in my face by thankless, entitled parents. Luckily, there are lots of good ones out there. But then there are the ones who think that hand sanitiser and an open window is enough to make a classroom of 35 people ‘COVId secure’. A fantasy.

PrivateD00r Thank you for that balanced post that was far more eloquent to what I could write!

@PrivateD00r

No one is blaming the government here. That is the issue. The problem is that every person who hates teachers anyway will make this our problem.

If parents won’t help push for teachers to be safer then I wash my hands of sorting out their childcare issues for them.

I fucking volunteered to do key worker school during the first lockdown because I wanted to help key workers get to work. What a mug I was. The feeling is obviously not mutual.

BelleSausage And the complete irony is I wasn’t allowed a key worker space. My childminder also refused so you can spare me your martyrdom.

@Nicknacky

Unlike your posts. I don’t care if I get banned for this because it would probably help my mental health not to see the bilge posted about schools.
Mod you want to know the truth; I know that I spent five hours today in rooms with people with COVID who were completely without masks. We’ve had the odd case in school but no one else has been tested. Year groups are sent home to isolate but no one else gets tested. The kids are in and out like a bloody jack in the box.

There is no protection. I feel like a walking time bomb. Half the kids don’t bother to wear their masks in the corridor because they don’t believe the virus is real. The are still having parties in the park.

I cry every day after work because it is so stressful trying to teach from the front, in a mask, with out TAs (almost all are vulnerable) with the constant battle to keep the door open and windows closed. All while trying to actual teach and pretend everything is normal.

I don’t have a classroom so I get pushed from pillar to post around school. I’m in at 7.30 every day and leave at 5 and barely see DD and never see DH.

Yes, the government needs to do something but they won’t. We have been left to cope on our own without any government support and lots of stupid government rules to follow. Depending on the day I am either teary or angry.

[quote BelleSausage]@PrivateD00r

No one is blaming the government here. That is the issue. The problem is that every person who hates teachers anyway will make this our problem.

If parents won’t help push for teachers to be safer then I wash my hands of sorting out their childcare issues for them.

I fucking volunteered to do key worker school during the first lockdown because I wanted to help key workers get to work. What a mug I was. The feeling is obviously not mutual.[/quote]
I think I have saw one (idiotic) post on this thread who directly blamed teachers, out of 7 pages? Then yours. Your previous post was really aggressive (sorry I can't stand random swearing so perhaps that sways me). I personally think it was very out of context with the tone of the thread. But of course you are entitled to disagree.

Your last paragraph - was it not expected of you? The keyworker thing? What if no one 'volunteered'? Sorry, off topic but I don't really understand. My DC went to the school childcare during the lockdown but the teachers all seemed to take their turn, as part of their job? I hope they aren't shouting and swearing about it now!

@Nicknacky

I didn’t volunteer to be a martyr. I was just trying to be kind. Something that is obviously beyond you.

@Nicknacky

PrivateD00r Thank you for that balanced post that was far more eloquent to what I could write!

[quote BelleSausage]@Nicknacky

Unlike your posts. I don’t care if I get banned for this because it would probably help my mental health not to see the bilge posted about schools.
Mod you want to know the truth; I know that I spent five hours today in rooms with people with COVID who were completely without masks. We’ve had the odd case in school but no one else has been tested. Year groups are sent home to isolate but no one else gets tested. The kids are in and out like a bloody jack in the box.

There is no protection. I feel like a walking time bomb. Half the kids don’t bother to wear their masks in the corridor because they don’t believe the virus is real. The are still having parties in the park.

I cry every day after work because it is so stressful trying to teach from the front, in a mask, with out TAs (almost all are vulnerable) with the constant battle to keep the door open and windows closed. All while trying to actual teach and pretend everything is normal.

I don’t have a classroom so I get pushed from pillar to post around school. I’m in at 7.30 every day and leave at 5 and barely see DD and never see DH.

Yes, the government needs to do something but they won’t. We have been left to cope on our own without any government support and lots of stupid government rules to follow. Depending on the day I am either teary or angry.[/quote]
That is awful, it really is. But there are lots of threads on here more suited to the tone and content of your post. This one is specifically about one extra week at Christmas, which honestly is not going to make any difference to any of your problems. Yet will cause lots of people a lot of stress.

It's bloody ridiculous. Our children have missed enough school without an extra week over Christmas so that people can meet up with aunt Mary and sup bloody brandy.*

Well surely for the many of us who lost a week of our holidays at the end of summer they can just Chuck it on to Xmas instead of giving us 8 weeks in summer. My colleagues and I have been saying we'd prefer this long before it was mentioned as an option. No one misses days of work/schooling in the long run. It wasn't a great year to have the shortest Xmas holiday in years as is currently scheduled.

It wasn't a great year to have the shortest Xmas holiday in years as is currently scheduled

Our area has two weeks off... the same as every year? Actually with an extra day as Monday 4th is an inset day.

Wefly your area obviously already finishes on the Friday before Christmas then? That's not going to change.

www.scotsman.com/education/scottish-exam-cancellation-decision-expected-christmas-john-swinney-3050611?fbclid=IwAR3FQHmc5DhRUsuwYOo2P30tXX-pO7MAtgyQMpCb-QbZbdY8K-9oCVEX4jk

And the leaks continue.