Can anyone explain the staggered school start please

[notevenat20]

What exactly is happening with secondary school in January? I read that children will go back on the 4th online and the 11th in person. Is that right? Is this for all schools including private schools? If DC are going to be tested between 4 and 11 January where will this be? Or will it happen after 11 jan when they are back at school? Generally confused...

@notevenat20

For starters, informing schools about this at least a month ago.

I just don't know if anyone knew before hand. I mean if you look at the covid data every month is a surprise. This is because it depends on how people react to govt policy or how they decide halfway through a lockdown they have had enough about being restricted.

Government announced the Christmas relaxation weeks ago. The data was there showing the increases in infections even after a lockdown. The government kept schools open throughout the lockdown knowing that this highly infectious virus is present. It does not suddenly come as a surprise the day before schools break up. Please stop blaming the ordinary public for figures increasing. People are in general just going to work and school as they are expected.

"Cases rise after christmas" and "NHS under pressure in Jan" are about as shocking as "the Pope is Catholic". But, I suppose our test and trace system wasn't expecting an increase in demand after schools and unis went back, so perhaps they genuinely are only just realising that covid will be a problem in Jan.

@ChloeCrocodile

"Cases rise after christmas" and "NHS under pressure in Jan" are about as shocking as "the Pope is Catholic". But, I suppose our test and trace system wasn't expecting an increase in demand after schools and unis went back, so perhaps they genuinely are only just realising that covid will be a problem in Jan.

Exactly! It is exactly on the same level as them claiming to be surprised about the increase in demand for tests at the start of September! Like I said, no idea what goes on in the real world!!

@notevenat20

What are the official holidays of a head? Is it 4 weeks a year or the school teacher holidays?

Are you trying to imply that they don’t deserve a Christmas break? Or that they aren’t working hard enough? Working pretty much solidly from March to December in extremely stressful conditions, with randomly issued nonsensical guidance thrown at ridiculous times and you’re questioning their contracts? No wonder 50% of headteacher are considering leaving, and that it is very difficult to appoint head teachers without the added bonus of covid.

Are you trying to imply that they don’t deserve a Christmas break?

Every time I have seen this asked it been replied to without an answer. Do you know the answer?

I just don't know if anyone knew before hand. I mean if you look at the covid data every month is a surprise. This is because it depends on how people react to govt policy or how they decide halfway through a lockdown they have had enough about being restricted.

Have you had your head in a hole for the last few weeks? EVERYONE has been talking about cases rising after Christmas because of more mixing of households.

You and Gormless Gav seem to be the only people surprised.

jungle I've been muttering about how this should have been sorted out by the government in August.

Will school transport be running as normal if not all students in?

Our school broke up last week. Not heard anything yet from them. They were very well set up for remote learning previously so that shouldn’t be a problem so I assume they will wait until further guidance is received, so probably 3rd January!

Can’t believe the Government were so anti schools offering remote learning this week so giving a potential 2 week isolation period before Christmas and then springing this on schools at the last minute

You and Gormless Gav seem to be the only people surprised.

Today is the first day where R has officially been estimated to be over 1 for a long time.

@notevenat20

You and Gormless Gav seem to be the only people surprised.

Today is the first day where R has officially been estimated to be over 1 for a long time.

So you’ve totally missed what’s been happening in London and the south east recently? And this doesn’t address what is going to happen after Christmas due to increased mixing.

Nick Gibb has said the guidance won't be out until next week so no one can give you any definite answers yet.

It is really difficult to believe anyone can be this disengaged with what is going on in the country at the moment.

It wasn't even last day of term for many schools. We finished on the 11th. No idea what will happen. Most of SLT are in school anyway this week and the rest of us were asked to at least respond to emails until Christmas but the head is on holiday so nobody can make any decisions until she gets back into school on Monday really. We only have 2 secondary age year groups so hoping we can start as normal given that 2 year groups can start on the 4th in secondary schools. I know it's exam years but year 8 are our exam year and 3 of my children have scholarship assessments in the 2nd week of term that I really need the 1st week of term to prepare them for. Plus I have a really big rehearsal for years 6,7 and 8 in the first week that I don't want to cancel (unimportant in the grand scheme of things I know but it's irritating. I wouldn't have planned it that way if we'd known in time!)

@notevenat20

Are you trying to imply that they don’t deserve a Christmas break?

Every time I have seen this asked it been replied to without an answer. Do you know the answer?

Are you unable to google?

Leadership group teachers are entitled to 28 days annual leave, restricted to school holiday time. In addition, their working hours should be reasonable - 48 hour weeks over a 17 week period. Since teacher surveys regularly show teachers working 60 hour weeks regularly, I doubt leadership team members work less.

Now, please would you answer my questions about the reasons behind yours?

Leadership group teachers are entitled to 28 days annual leave, restricted to school holiday time.

Thanks! It's interesting that it's the same for the head (who may be on over 100k) and the rest of the leadership team who may be on a lot less.

Now, please would you answer my questions about the reasons behind yours?

Information is good! I like to know things. Don't you?

Since teacher surveys regularly show teachers working 60 hour weeks regularly, I doubt leadership team members work less

The head of DC's school just emailed to say he would email an update on December 29, so what you say seems likely.

Information is good! I like to know things. Don't you?

I’m not goady about it with a clear agenda to belittle teachers and head teachers. I’m also capable of searching for the information I’m interested in.

Most heads are not on 100k

www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/head-teacher-salary-SRCH_KO0,12.htm

They do exist but it isn’t typical.

Thanks! It's interesting that it's the same for the head (who may be on over 100k) and the rest of the leadership team who may be on a lot less.

I don't find that odd at all. The extra pay is for level of responsibility and seniority,not per number of working days. Many ordinary classroom teachers work through big chunks of their weekendsqnd holidays. They don't get paid 100k to do so.

I’m not goady about it with a clear agenda to belittle teachers and head teachers. I’m also capable of searching for the information I’m interested in.

I am not sure what goady means here exactly (it's a word I have never seen outside MN) but I am pretty sure you are trying to insult me.

You are no doubt right that the answers to many questions can be found without any human interaction.

Most heads are not on 100k

I meant secondary school. I know primary heads typically don't get 100k.

Looking at table 9d from assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/627827/TABLES_Vals_2017.xlsx it seems the mean ranges from 79k to 101k depending on how old you are. I would guess from this that quite a lot are on over 100k

As a HT can I repeat what others have said about not emailing/ringing the head to ask what is happening.

I'm not about to give information out to individual people (imagine the subsequent glee as that person shared it on WhatsApp) and if I haven't shared information I either don't have it or it isn't finalised.

Incidentally, v few heads are on 100K - most in my area are on between 50k and 60k - that isn't a complaint about my pay, just an observation

And I meant to add in my previous message every phone call or email you send asking for information actually slows down the process of me being ready to share it!

I am not sure what goady means here exactly (it's a word I have never seen outside MN) but I am pretty sure you are trying to insult me.

Pretty sure that’s what you try to do to my profession with most of your disingenuous posts.

@bluechameleon

No one knows. Including the government.