How many teachers will be handing in the section 44 letter tomorrow and not going in?

[SoscaredforJan]

My DSis is scared to go to work tomorrow in a private primary school in Tier 3 but lowish numbers. She is not ECV but has got chemo damaged lungs so it petrified of catching Covid.

She desperately wants to follow union advice and not go in tomorrow but she’s worried that most teachers will be in as normal, she will have a black Mark against her and will be quietly pushed out.

Are there many teachers on here planning not to go in tomorrow? What do you think will happen tomorrow?

Really if any of the parents ranting had ever tried to recruit an A level Physics teacher they would seriously wind their necks in. We managed to recruit two this year and it was like all my Christmases had come at once!

@EnemyOfEducationNo1 I agree, I think the consequences of how teachers and schools have been treated will result in a significant number of teachers leaving the profession. Especially those who have gone into teaching to support their communities as they are coming to the realisation that many in their communities will not return that support.

@EnolaAlone

The NASUWT have 300k members and don't seem to be advising members to hand in a S44 letter. This is the only email my DH has had - Members who are feeling unsafe about return: DO • Ensure you follow the advice in this bulletin; • raise your concerns with your line manager or Head Teacher and ask to speak with them; • ask for an updated risk assessment for your school/college; • contact NASUWT for direct advice and support at [email protected]k_** if the steps above do not resolve the issue. DON’T • Refuse to attend the workplace without advice from the NASUWT, if the steps above have not resolved your concerns the NASUWT will provide you with tailored advice about what to do next based on your circumstances.

Actually this will achieve the same aim as the NEU - as the updated risk assessment will highlight that current lack of mitigations are not enough especially with the high amount of community transmission and the new variant.

I can’t help thinking that any teachers who go in and don’t show solidarity with the unions and fellow teachers shouldn’t expect the unions to ever help them again.

Teachers aren’t there to support unions, unions should support their members. I don’t disagree with the union position, or any teacher who follows it. But I also don’t condemn teachers who don’t.

@NeurologicallySpeaking

Really if any of the parents ranting had ever tried to recruit an A level Physics teacher they would seriously wind their necks in. We managed to recruit two this year and it was like all my Christmases had come at once!

2!!

You must be lying, surely there's more chance of winning the lottery?! 😂😂

I’m so angry that teachers are being put in this position. If my son’s secondary school has to stay shut to decrease the spread of the virus then why the fuck aren’t they closing my daughter’s primary school?
Of course I want my kids to receive an education and I feel sorry for all they miss out on when not in school.
But I’m in the shielding list. Just like many staff and students.
Wish the government would actually make logical decisions based on risk. Of course schools aren’t magically COVID free zones.

[quote MrsHerculePoirot]@greenbinday you really can't work this out?!?! If schools switch to remote learning and only KW and vulnerable students in then you have much fewer students in school and can run classrooms with social distancing taking place.... clearly MASSIVELY reducing their risk.

The section 44 is about teaching FULL CLASSROOMS.[/quote]
Sorry I wasn't trying to be goady or anything!

In my area there are MASSES of keyworkers. My son was one of 2 in his class who was not back in school before September. I just can't see how much safer it would be in schools such as this although maybe schools like this are in the minority.

I understand obviously that there's a reduction i the chance of catching Covid due to less students but the risks certainly aren't reduced to zero yet teachers seem much happier. I still wouldn't feel that happy to have no PPE etc just because half of the class weren't in - there's still a chance you could catch Covid from the students that are in!

@AaronPurr

So explicitly what have you done? Because all we have in schools is hand sanitizer. For an airborne virus. Now THAT is ridiculous

Aww now come on that's not entirely correct, we also have wet paper towels. 😂😂😂

Of course, how stupid of me! We all know about that universal panacea

Except - you won't believe this - my school stopped buying paper towels in 2018 due to budgeting - and in science we had to mop up soils with J cloths! (I ended up buying blue roll for my lab as I just couldn't cope with it)

@AaronPurr I know right?! We currently have the best Physics dept I have ever seen in my whole career. Let's hope they don't leave the profession due to Covid-denying teacher bashers.

Except - you won't believe this - my school stopped buying paper towels in 2018 due to budgeting

That's very short sighted of them, what will you do if a student breaks a leg.

If you have only a small number of pupils in, you can put them in the hall and have social distancing in place. Or only have classrooms 1/3 full.

Just the sort of thing that has been mandated in EVERY other workplace - social distancing, masks, ventilation

Okay but we all know that social distancing isn't possible in most schools due to the buildings themselves being old, small etc. Yes the government can agree to plough more funding into extentions and new purpose built buildings but nationwide this will take years to accomplish so what, teachers want a blended learning approach until then? There is still the issue of needing more staff to supervise these additional spaces/extra classes and training takes as long as it takes. The none use of masks whilst I understand is mandated from DfE, some schools quite happily allow staff to wear them so that is an internal issue surely. Ventilation again comes down to building stock with windows and doors open where possible. So what else are the unions suggesting to make schools safe in the meantime that the government are being obstructive about. Are classes going to be taught from home indefinately for the next few years until the above changes come into fruition because that is the only way schools will be deemed 'safe'.

The above isn't to say that I don't agree with what the action is all about I just fail to see what outcome the unions/teachers expect to achieve from it other than the indefinate closure of schools until the entire population is vaccinated. It seems much more like a fight about funding (which absolutely does need to be addressed) mascarading as a health and safety issue.

[quote NeurologicallySpeaking]@AaronPurr I know right?! We currently have the best Physics dept I have ever seen in my whole career. Let's hope they don't leave the profession due to Covid-denying teacher bashers. [/quote]
My fingers are firmly crossed, here's hoping they stick around. 🤞

@Tryingtokeepgoing do you work in a school?

Not many I imagine...

@Wolfiefan

The government never said schools are covid free zones.

They only said the health risk to pupils is extremely low.

But they also said it’s a huge balancing act with education, mental health and public health and yes schools may have to close.

Personally with the new variant I think some schools will close ? So does that make it unfair that some areas will get education and some will not ?

I'm so tired of saying how teachers can achieve safer schools. But one last time.

Primary and maybe yr7-8 - rotas with bubbles going to enrichment alternative provision set up in currently closed community spaces and libraries or festival style.in parks and public gardens. Staffed by enrichment extra curricular teachers and volunteers. And Ofsted staff. So forst school, drama, instrument teachers,ballet, circus skills, sports, art, all the camhs and counsellors currently refusing to go into schools as it's so unsafe. Etc.

Secondary - smaller classes blended learning with masks. During the year 10 return in the summer we achieved so much progress due to the smaller classes it more than made up for absencew

I’m a TA. I’ll be going in, but I’m 30 weeks pregnant and have been advised to do admin etc by my midwife. This isn’t available for me to do, and so I’ll be working in a classroom with over 32 people in. I cannot socially distance and the answer I got when I asked how to do this effectively I was told “you just have to”. I’m frightened something may happen to me after it taking us 5 years to get this baby.

I've been saying the above since August....

I hope they do, private and state the same.

Ey, each employer however has the onus on them of a duty of care and reasonable adjustments.
Therefore my dh who works from home since the crisis his risk is very low.

Other places must take every responsible step, masks are not even compulsory in classes!
That is a reasonable step not taken...

I bet many bosses are feeling tight under the collar today as they realise the enormity of this action.

I then know an awful lot of schools have inset days, so I expect a lot of people will discuss with colleagues etc. Especially in schools that haven’t had covid cases as perhaps they’re undecided

Ive only been in post for two weeks so dont feel able to.
Im pastoral so will be able to sed kids 1-1 in my room using a sheild i hope.
We have inset tomorrow and so far all the emails seem to be as if nothing has changed.
My own kids school has emailed to say all going ahead as normal but im considering not sending her.

I just cant believe this is happening.

Pan Peter, why on earth are going in?

@SoscaredforJan

I can’t help thinking that any teachers who go in and don’t show solidarity with the unions and fellow teachers shouldn’t expect the unions to ever help them again. This is by far the most important issue facing teachers ever! Greater than pay disputes etc. It is literally life and death.

I’m actually very sad that the unions have so little support from the teachers. If everyone who could didn’t go in tomorrow then schools would close to all apart from the keyworkers/vulnerable and the government would be forced to put in better measures. As it is the government have won....and winning means many more deaths sadly.

@SoscaredforJan

As per a PP: I think you have this the wrong way round - teachers don’t support the unions. The unions should supporting them